Black Dog
by Bill Atoll
Summary: Blake Shepard, aka "Black Dog", infamous former gang member gone Alliance soldier, Hero of Elysium and N7 recipient, trained by Captain David Anderson himself , until the time comes when his mettle is tested. He is given the title of Spectre, and with it, the mission to track down the traitor Saren Arterius. This can only have a violent end. TalixShepardxLiara for ME1.
1. Chapter 1: The Boy in the Slums

**Bill Here! This is the first chapter of my first mass effect fan-fiction. I've written stories before, but never with enough drive to continue them very long. If everything goes as planned, it should span from ME1 to ME3, in a complete story arc. I hope you enjoy this first chapter and the chapters proceeding it. If you liked the chapter, please leave a review telling me what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Give it up mutt!"

"Yeah, give it up kid. You got nowhere to go."

A young boy breathed heavily, standing alone.

There was nothing left of the tattered city but dilapidated buildings. Offices and apartments that had collapsed due to abandonment or misuse offered squatters a temporary shelter against the sweltering days and freezing nights. The bricks and cinderblocks that once held up these creations were nothing but dust, a fine white powder that stuck on your clothing to mark you as a vagrant.

"Just give back what you stole like a good boy!"

"You're not gonna get anything out of here by playing tough!"

The ruins of the city made for a hilly environment; everywhere were piles of brick and stone where walls had fallen and crashed into the abandoned street. The once brightly lit and painstakingly built structures were forsaken, much like the people that lived in them. This once ordered place, organized to a peak of efficiency was now a jungle of mess, habitat to those who had no other place to go. The alleyways still had form, allowing for the young boy be surrounded by his assailants.

"If you're lucky, we'll promise to take it easy on ya!"

The young boy's head rose. His black hair painted grey with soot and dust, his face dirtied from weeks of not bathing, his clothes in shreds where pieces of rebar had snagged and torn parts off while he ran through the city. He looked at his surroundings, gauging the situation as best as he could.

He had run into an alley without thinking, his pursuers hot on his tail. To his surprise, he had run into an alley that came to a T, with only two ways out, not counting the way he came in. Three men had followed him into the alley, another two on his right, and one on his left as he put his back to the brick wall and considered his options.

_How do I get out of here?_

He looked down at the bag clutched in his arms.

In it was potentially a week's worth of food, if he rationed it accordingly. It was in great need too, his ribs were completely visible now, he was so starved. No, he couldn't drop the bag, without it he would die. He tightened his grip on the bag as the men drew nearer. They would be upon him soon.

"Boy, give back what you stole and everything will be alright."

The boy turned to the voice that spoke. The speaker leered at him, a smirk so big it almost took up his whole face. The man might've been twice the boy's size; he and his friends were closing in on him.

To the boy's right came a voice, high pitched and irritable. "Yeah, and if you don't run, I won't cut you up. That much." A cackle erupted from the human shaped hyena as he flipped open and revealed a shiny metal butterfly knife in his hand.

The knife flashed, its metal blade reflected the sun's light in a sinister manner.

The boy looked at the knife and changed. His eyes drained of fear, his mouth turned to a snarl, and his feet took a more defiant stance, his body bent lower slightly.

As the men drew as close as 5 meters, the boy bolted to his left, towards the man that towered over him. The boy ran on the man's left flank, and when the man made a lunging grab at him, the boy put his left hand to ground and spun, mid-sprint, to the man's right side and past him. The boy now flew out of the alley way, chased by now angry vagrants whose food he had stolen.

As the boy came out to the alley he hung a right down the broken side walk, and then took a left behind the following building. He kept zigzagging until the angry shouts faded away and he was left alone with the bag.

He smiled.

It would not be a dreadfully empty night for his stomach, and he wouldn't spend the night staring at the stars in a hungry insomnia.

He would eat very well tonight and sleep just as well.

The boy ran down the street, finding the familiar ladder on the scaffolding of the remaining walls of a building. He climbed up the railings, all the way to the top, to the roof, now inaccessible due to the lack of stairs of the building. He reached the top and walked to a utility closet, which served as his temporary home.

He opened the closet door, revealing a setup of possessions. A large piece of wood laid on four cinderblocks served as a makeshift table, where three photos sat upright.

Two of the photos were portraits; the right was a beautiful woman with elegant crimson red hair, sharp facial features, accentuated with a small smile that gave the boy a warm feeling in his stomach.

To the left was a picture of man bearing a heavy set of features; a strong square jaw, a light beard grown along his chin line, piercing blue eyes and large warm smile. The man's hair was black and cut short, but shared a distinct resemblance to the boy's.

The boy walked into the closet and greeted the photos

"Hey mom, hey dad, I got food!" the boy exclaimed. "I think this'll last me at least a week, if I pace myself. Isn't that great?"

The photos remained quiet, yet their smiles reassured the boy.

He gazed at both pictures, first the woman's, then the man's, and then the photo in the center. It was a picture of a hospital bed. In the bed laid the red haired woman, her hair messy and tousled about, but she was smiling. At her side, the large man from the other photo stood, leaning in close to the woman, also a large smile on his face. In the woman's arms was a bundle of blankets, wrapped around a small body. The body's head stuck out of the blankets, eyes closed, hair black growing on the top of his head.

The boy smiled at the center photo, his hand tracing the outline of the woman in the bed.

He then turned and reached into the bag, feeling a nice warm fluffy form, and after tearing off a piece, pulled out some of the bread. He bit into it vigorously, holding it with his mouth as he rolled up the bag's sides to prevent the bread from getting stale. He slid the rolled bag under the table, got up and walked out of the closet.

He walked to a blanket, laid out on the roof, and rested on his back. Staring up at the night sky, looking at the stars in wonder, forgetting all the troubles he had faced during the day.

_That's where I'll go, _the boy thought, _Out there, away from this, away from the city, out into the stars. _As he thought to himself, a speck lifted up in the distance. It got closer and closer, until the boy could make out what it was. It was a ship, and as it got closer, the boy noticed the logo on the side of its hull. It bore an Alliance symbol, and the boy pointed at it. _And that's how I'll get there._

The ship continued to get closer until it flew over the city and up, getting further and further away until it disappeared among the lights of the stars.

As the night grew later, and the air grew colder, the boy took the blanket into the closet and closed the door. He laid back down in the closet, thinking about the adventures he would have once he got into space and out of the city, until he fell asleep.

* * *

Shepard walked down the aisle of the SSV Normandy, past the group of crewmen working in the CIC, some of them saluting him as he walked. Since joining the Alliance, Shepard had made a name for himself, and with it he built a reputation that proceeded him. People had mixed feelings when meeting Shepard; some loved him like and idol, while others couldn't stand him. Shepard liked to back up his reputation with competence. He didn't want to be seen as a legend or a figurehead, but as a man and a good soldier.

As he walked, Navigator Pressley recognized him and turned.

"Shepard," Pressley said with a salute.

"Pressley. Keeping everything under control, I hope?" Shepard responded.

"You're damn right I am. I can't be assigned a post on one of the most technologically advanced warships under Alliance control and slack off."

Shepard chuckled. It had been a long time since he had been that boy, since he had lived in those streets, and since he had spent his days just trying to survive. He had changed, become older, stronger, smarter, but most importantly, friendlier. Of all the skills he learned once he was out of the slums, it was how to get people to like him that had helped him most.

"Good, can't pass up a chance to leave a good impression on Anderson, especially when he's running this ship." Shepard smirked at him.

Pressley smiled back. "No sir, I cannot."

"Well then, keep up the good work," said Shepard, as he continued walking his previous path.

"Say hi to Joker for me," said Pressley as Shepard left.

Shepard nodded and continued walking.

Shepard liked Pressley. He was older, stricter, and a bit of a stick in the mud sometimes, but he was the Navigator for the Normandy and did it well, so Shepard liked him.

_Speaking of being a stick in the mud_, thought Shepard as he walked into the cock pit of the Normandy. Nihlus, a Turian Spectre from the Citadel, was standing behind Joker, the pilot, while Joker read off specifics from the Normandy's console.

"…Drift… just under 1500K," said Joker.

"Perfect. Your captain will be pleased," said the Turian, mandibles flaring as he spoke, while he turned and left the way Shepard had come. He nodded to Shepard as they passed each other, and Shepard copied the gesture.

Shepard had met Turians before; he had spoken with them before, but something was off about Nihlus. He was so robotic sometimes, didn't really speak unless he needed to, and if he did, he did it quickly and without a word to spare. While others conversed with Nihlus, he watched them calmly, as if analyzing their entire being in addition to what they were saying. It didn't scare Shepard, but it did put him on edge, as if Nihlus could read his intentions despite any effort to hide them.

"I hate that guy," Joker grumbled when Nihlus was far out of earshot.

"He gave you a compliment and you hate him?" replied Alenko.

"I just put the ship on path to hit a target the size a pinhead. That's freakin amazing if you ask me. Besides, he's a Spectre, and Spectres mean trouble. Call me paranoid."

"Paranoid," Alenko blurted out, "The council helped build this ship; they have a right to send someone to oversee it."

"If they wanted to oversee it, they would've sent a Salarian with a clipboard, not a full blown Spectre," Shepard added in, "That man is worth an entire platoon of soldiers, two C-sec Detectives and krogan battlemaster."

"Exactly, you don't send one of your best and most valuable agents on a routine checkup mission. There's something going on here," Joker mused.

"Okay, but what? What would they send a Spectre for anyway?" asked Alenko.

The radio came on and Anderson's voice interrupted.

"Joker, are we on course for the Relay?"

"Aye Captain."

"Good, tell Shepard to head over to the Comm Room."

"Roger that," Shepard cut in.

Shepard turned and walked out of the cock pit. _Spectre._ Shepard thought of the word carefully. _It fit Nihlus well_. His white face paint on black skin made him look like a ghastly specter, and his cool demeanor put everyone around him on edge, even when he didn't mean to. Shepard walked across the war room when his name was called out.

"Shepard!" yelled a voice, ringing with youth.

Shepard turned and faced where the voice had called from and saw Corporal Jenkins waving at him. Shepard walked over slowly, sighing as he did.

"What is it, Corporal?" Shepard asked tiredly.

"Did you see that Spectre, Nihlus? Man, that guy is packing some serious heat!"

"Yes, and I am supposed to meet him right now, so if you'll excuse me…"

"But wait commander! What do think is going on? I mean really going on, not what they keep telling us," Jenkins hurriedly said.

"I don't know, Jenkins, and if did know, I probably couldn't tell you."

"I can't wait to get some action! I mean, I really want to shoot something."

"Patience, Jenkins. You're young, you've got your whole career ahead of you, there's plenty of time for action."

"That's easy for you to say, sir. You proved yourself on Elysium, holding off Batarian slavers like they were clay pigeons. I wish I had some action like that."

That was true, Shepard had proved himself on Elysium, where on a routine post, Shepard's platoon had rounded up, organized, and defended and entire colony against the Skylian Blitz, a group of notorious Batarian slavers that decided to attack Elysium. But he had survived because he was lucky.

Elysium had been played close to the chest, and Shepard traced his fingers down the long scar on the left side of his face that went from his scalp down to his cheek bone. A Batarian pirate had gotten a drop on him when he wasn't looking and slashed at his eye. Any deeper and Shepard would be a cyclops, luckily Shepard had flinched back and escaped the slash with only a scar. The pirate had tried to follow up with a lunge with the knife, but Shepard had caught the hand and brought the pirate's head into it by pulling the back of the pirate's neck.

Shepard remembered that kill, he remembered how long it took for the Batarian to die, for the life to go out of all four of his eyes, and he remembered the stench of the air after the Batarian was dead. Mostly though, he remembered how close he had come to death, and how great it had felt to leave that world alive and in one piece.

"I proved that I was lucky, Corporal," Shepard said, taking a strict tone. "I was lucky to survive, and you should be more patient before your next mission that gets you shot at! Is that understood Corporal?"

Jenkins straightened up. "Yes sir!"

"Besides, clay pigeons don't shoot back, Jenkins. And they certainly don't leave a scar."

Shepard walked away. Jenkins always reminded him of how most people grew up without having to fight for their life. Jenkins was so willing to trade his safe life of normality for one of violence and action, while Shepard had previously lived willing to trade his chaotic life for a safe one. _A childhood that didn't include begging for scraps or sleeping on a building rooftop,_ Shepard thought.

When he entered the Comm Room, Nihlus stood alone with his back facing Shepard, his eyes on the screen in front of him. He heard the door open and turned, mandibles flaring slightly as Nihlus acknowledged him.

"Shepard, I'm glad you got here first, I'd like to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About Eden Prime. It's one of your human worlds, proof that humanity can take care of itself in space. But how safe is it really?"

"This isn't just a systems check is it?" asked Shepard.

"No, it isn't," Anderson said as the door closed behind him. "This mission has more depth than you realize. Nihlus isn't just here to look over the Normandy. He's here to evaluate you as well."

Shepard was taken aback. _Me? Why? And for what exactly?_

Nihlus answered his thoughts. "As you know, Shepard, Spectres are Council agents, working freely on Council matters. We are sworn to protect the citizens of the galaxy and uphold Citadel law. Because of this, we are figureheads in the image of power associated with the Council. Your species has been lobbying for a place on that Council for a while now, and if you can secure a place as a Spectre, you will prove that humanity is ready for larger responsibilities."

"This is big, Shepard. If humanity can earn a place as a Spectre, it will be a shining example of the competency of humanity to all races in Council space." Anderson spoke with conviction, showing that he was heavily invested in this.

"Alright, what's the mission, then?"

"Well, a Prothean Beacon has been discovered on Eden Prime. We need to retrieve it to take it back to the Citadel for study, and we need it done covertly, hence the need for the stealth systems," Anderson said.

"Is that it? Just a retrieval mission? And doing just that can actually earn me a place as a Spectre?" answered Shepard, slightly confused.

"It's more than that. This beacon is important; we don't know what advanced technology is on it. It could be anything, new ship technology, weapon plans, medical breakthroughs, anything. And because of that, some races in the Terminus systems may take notice of a Prothean beacon. The Terminus systems are close enough to Eden Prime that they may risk an open assault to procure a Prothean Beacon," Nihlus explained

"Wouldn't that start an interstellar war?" asked Shepard

"Yes, but with whatever is on that beacon, the Terminus races could potentially shift the balance of military strength in their favor. The last time humanity discovered a Prothean Beacon, it jumped our technology by two hundred years," said Anderson.

"Hence the need for a covert approach, in addition to highly trained operatives," added Nihlus.

Joker broke in over the radio. "Captain Anderson, we got a transmission from Eden Prime."

"Put it on screen Joker."

The Comm screen lit up, and continued lighting up as the transmission was filled with gunfire. The point of view was from a soldier who was on the ground for some reason. Another soldier, a woman clad in pink and white armor, stood over him, shooting at unknown assailants. As someone began screaming about the attack, explosions going off all around them, a dark shape appeared in the background. It was blackish and purple, and as it became clearer in the transmission, Shepard went further into disbelief.

"A…hand?"

"What is that?" Anderson asked.

"Never seen anything like that before," Nihlus said.

One last explosion and the transmission went to static. The three men turned inward to each other. Nihlus spoke first.

"A small strike team would be best, moving quickly to the beacon and remaining unseen by large groups of enemies."

"Right," Anderson nodded, "Shepard, tell Jenkins and Alenko to suit up, then meet me and Nihlus in the Cargo Bay for deployment. This mission just got a lot more complicated."

"You're damn right," answered Shepard.

* * *

**Special thanks to Airam, my favorite person.**


	2. Chapter 2: Massacre

**Bill here! So far, writing this has been pretty fun. Mass Effect has been one of the most interesting games I've ever played, and it's been equally pleasant writing a fan-fiction about it. This chapter has a more action, something I hope to write well about. I didn't like Kaidan's character in the series, so I made some adjustments to his character. Hopefully you'll see Kaidan in a cooler way, because I think Space Elvis should look cool. Leave a review with your opinion, and as always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Eden Prime was a beautiful place. The plants were a lush green, the sky a soothing blue, and the earth was a warm brown that you could sink your feet into. The air felt clean and fresh, making it tempting to run, even when taking a leisurely walk. The clouds were fluffy and white, an epitome of a carefree attitude. Shepard would've been infatuated with the environment if not for the dead Corporal Jenkins lying on the ground in front of him.

"Jenkins!" cried Kaidan.

The shots had gone right through his shields and armor, leaving bloody stains in the soil behind him. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Shepard grimaced as he took aim at Jenkins' murderers: Recon droids that came from nowhere and shot Jenkins into Swiss cheese. He blasted them to scrap with his pistol, and ran to the where Kaidan kneeled over Jenkins.

"Alenko, are you ok?" Shepard asked.

"Jenkins. He was so young. He just wanted some action, some excitement in his life. Why'd it have to be like this?" Kaidan choked on his words, catching in his throat.

"Look, we'll get him a proper burial, ok?"

Alenko said nothing.

"Alenko."

Still Kaidan didn't not reply.

"Kaidan." Shepard put a reassuring hand Kaidan's shoulder. Kaidan turned and looked Shepard in the eye, a lone tear falling down his cheek.

"Why like this, Shepard?"

"We have to keep moving Kaidan, or whatever else is out there will find us. It's just the two of us now."

Kaidan nodded and stood, face clearing of all sorrow, now set in a serious visage.

"Let's go," said Kaidan.

* * *

Ashley ran. She ran and ran and ran. When she thought of something, she stopped thinking and just kept running. It was all she could do.

She had just watched her entire platoon die. Ten minutes ago, everything had been normal, same boring post, same boring job, same boring bullshit assignment that was half of her skill level. She would've given a million credits to go back to ten minutes ago. Hell, she'd give a million to go back ten years ago. She shook her head, as if to shake out the very thoughts in her mind. _Running, think about running. That's all that matters now._

* * *

Kaidan recovered quickly.

He was taking the death of his teammate well.

He wasn't the fresh soldier that Shepard thought he was. From what he had heard, Kaidan was a talented biotic, and seeing him in battle, switching from pistol to submachine gun to smashing Geth into the ground like empty Coke cans, he was impressed.

No, Kaidan wasn't a fresh soldier, he had a streak of experience in him.

Maybe not in death, at least not when you get to know people well, but he was defiantly good and keeping his composure in battle. Maybe it helped having something to fight.

But Shepard wondered how it would've been, had it been Kaidan on the ground and Jenkins kneeling over him. Shepard predicted that Jenkins would've been too shell shocked to continue or too aggressive to follow commands, perhaps he would go berserk with rage and get himself killed.

Again.

Kaidan was not like Jenkins, and in a way, Shepard was glad.

But he also hated that thought.

It had been surprising when Shepard and Kaidan had spotted the Geth, or rather when the Geth had spotted them.

What happened first was a barrage of Geth fire at the two soldiers, coming from five Geth shock troopers. Their Pulse rifles made holes in the ground around them, their rounds were heavy and dangerous. What returned were a staccato of submachine gun fire, a biotic shockwave, and three sniper rifle shots.

Kaidan and Shepard were very efficient together, to say the least.

What was really surprising was that they had found someone alive; A woman in white armor with a pink trim. Shepard recognized her from the transmission and was glad; he had thought she was lost for dead after the appearance of that monstrous purple hand.

He wondered if there were any other survivors from her platoon, and then realized by the tone of her voice that she was all that was left.

"G-G-Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. Are you the one in charge here sir?" Ashley was standing straight up, though clearly hyperventilating but doing her best to stand at attention.

Shepard gazed over her with an observant glance. "I am now. You the only survivor?" asked Shepard.

"I am…how… how'd you know?" Ashley was shocked by Shepard's words.

"Because people aren't as panicked as you are when their crew is still alive."

Shepard put a hand on Ashley's shoulder and looked her in the eye reassuringly. Ashley shook and met his gaze.

"It's ok Williams. What happened to your unit, you couldn't have changed. It wasn't your fault."

Shepard's hand rose and fell on her shoulder. He patted her reassuringly.

"You did good Williams," said Shepard.

_Who is this guy _thought Ashley. _A soldier? But he seems so calm and collected. The scar over his eye makes him look so mean, but his smile shows that he is nice. Better than the Geth, that's for sure. That…Wait _She thought, thinking deeply for a second. _That scar… where have I seen it before? That black hair, that face, and that scar, seems so familiar, but why? _She looked over his armor, looking at the sniper rifle on his right shoulder, the shotgun strapped to his lower back, the pistol at his hip and the knife hanging over his left shoulder, hilt down, below that a string of grenades that made this man into a human cruise missile, until her eyes widened, finding a N7 symbol.

"You're…you're that…" Ashley started.

Shepard turned and looked back at her, smiling questioningly.

"You're Blake, Blake Shepard. The Black Dog. You're 'Black Dog' Shepard!" Ashley cried, exacerbated in shock.

"You're Blake "Black Dog" Shepard, former gang member from Earth, joined the Alliance at 18, later finishing the N7 training in record timing, the Hero of Elysium…" Ashley said dreamily.

Shepard sighed and turned back to Kaidan. "See what I mean, Kaidan?" Shepard said to Kaidan, tiredly. He turned to face Ashley squarely.

"Yes, I am who you say I am, but please, knock it off with that "Black Dog" stuff. That was a long time ago, it's just Shepard, or Blake, nothing more…"

"Roger that, Commander!" Ashley shouted, straightening up with a salute.

"Great, now tell me what happened here."

Ashley's shoulders slumped back down. "I…I don't know. The Geth just… just came out of nowhere. And that ship… that thing…"

"What ship? You mean that hand thing?" Shepard asked intrigued.

"Hand? No Commander, it was a ship, but it looked pretty weird. I didn't really get a good look at it; the Geth started shooting at us too quickly for us to stare."

"Hmmm, well do you know where the beacon is?"

"Beacon sir?" Ashley asked dumbfounded.

"The Prothean beacon," Shepard said slowly. "It was discovered here. Where is it?"

"That beacon was dug up here only a couple hours ago. How did you?..." Ashley began to ask when Shepard cut her off. "Williams." Shepard pointed at the N7 symbol on his chest. "I know things," Shepard said warmly, adding a wink to her. "Now, where is the beacon?"

"Sir. The beacon was found in the ground over that away." Ashley pointed to the distance.

Shepard looked in the distance Ashley had pointed to. "Good," He said, turning to Ashley. "Williams."

Ashley jumped and turned back to face Shepard. "Sir!" She was still not used to his presence.

"Are you hurt? Did you sustain any injuries?" asked Shepard.

"Sir?"

"Are you fit for duty, Williams?"

"Yes sir! Fit for duty, sir!"

"Perfect! Congratulations, Williams, you've been reassigned."

Again Ashley was dumbfounded. "Sir?"

"You will accompany me and Lieutenant Alenko on the remainder of this mission. Unless of course, you want to stay on guard duty."

Ashley straightened up. "No sir, I prefer to follow you and the lieutenant."

"Good, get comfortable with Alenko too, I'm not losing anyone else today..."

"Sir?"

"Move out!"

* * *

Kaidan and Ashley worked well together.

They both had seen death today, both had lost someone that they had spent time with and known, only to see them killed and transformed into a lifeless corpse.

Despite this, they both kept their wits about them.

Some people can't take it, hysterically running away or screaming, but both Kaidan and Ashley remained on their feet, following orders and shooting at the enemy.

Other people kept on their feet, yet went into a rage, blind and terrible, which often lead to a reckless end involving bullets and explosions, yet both soldiers were keeping cool, calm, and efficient.

It must have been therapeutic, however, to fire at the Geth, to destroy the very same machines that killed their comrades, but they didn't go overboard with it.

_Though how could one go overboard with destroying a Geth in this situation? _thought Shepard.

Shepard was even more impressed when neither of his companions were overly shocked at the appearance of the human robot looking husks.

He himself was repulsed at the sight of these abominations, but after taking them out, Ashley and Kaidan had just trucked on, following Shepard's lead. They had kept up with his pace so far, and considering the speed that Shepard had when he was on a warpath, Shepard was very satisfied with their performance.

_Speaking of performance _Shepard thought as Nihlus's voice came out on the Comm link.

"Shepard? I've found some survivors; I'll be waiting for you at the docks before the train. We'll meet up and continue from there."

"Roger that, Nihlus," Shepard responded.

"Who was that?" asked Ashley.

"Nihlus, a Turian Spectre that's overseeing the operation," answered Kaidan.

"Not just that, he's also evaluating my candidacy as a Spectre," said Shepard.

Both of his team mates turned and looked with wide eyed expressions. Ashley's mouth was hanging open and Kaidan's pistol fell to the floor.

"Spectre!?" the pair exclaimed in unison.

Shepard turned and smiled, embarrassed. "Yeah, apparently Nihlus and Anderson see potential in me as a Spectre. Anderson also suggested that my position as a Spectre will provide leeway for humanity to secure a seat in the Council. It's all very politically intertwined."

"And so Nihlus somehow brought an entire fleet of Geth here to watch you fight through them?" asked Alenko.

"And killing my entire unit was somehow in the plan?" Ashley asked, angrily.

"No, none of this was part of the plan. We really keep you guys in the dark, huh?" Shepard chuckled slightly, but continued. "The plan was just a retrieval of the beacon. We got a transmission from Ashley's unit right when Anderson and Nihlus finished my briefing for the mission. Of course, after that, the mission parameters had changed, so I had to be "rebriefed", so to speak. Seeing the Geth for the first time was a big a shock to me as it was to you. Well, maybe I was already expecting the worst, but call me a pessimist. Anyway, this mission is more than that now, we'll have to access…"

A loud gunshot cracked in the distance.

The three companions looked at each other in a jolt.

"Let's move!" yelled Shepard.

They ran up the hill, revealing an urban zone set up by the inhabitants of Eden Prime. Bodies littered the area, and Geth walked to and fro among them.

Shepard unfolded his sniper rifle, putting a Geth in the scope and fired. The shot split the Geth's flashlight of a head in half.

Every Geth in area turned to the direction of the three, like spot lights pointing at three escaped convicts. Soon, the sound of gun fire filled the air, as the soil on the hill became filled with holes while trio used it as cover. Crouching behind the soil, Shepard began regretting jumping the gun with his sniper rifle, in lieu of a more covert approach.

_"Covert", the word Anderson and Nihlus had used to describe the mission parameters, and when they explained why they chose me they assumed I was competent in doing so_ Shepard grimaced_. I hope I haven't let them down. _Gunfire sliced up over the head of Shepard. _Covert my ass._

"What do we do now, sir!?" Ashley shouted to Shepard over the sound of gun fire.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Shepard, unhinging a grenade from the holsters on his chest. "Williams, get out your assault rifle, take cover behind that hill!"

Shepard pointed to the higher ground to their left. "Take the mid to long distanced targets down range."

"Kaidan! You take the short to mid-range section of enemies. Take care of any Geth that get too close, but more importantly, keep any of those Husks away from us!"

An electronic groan came from behind the hill, and following the groan, came the electric blue zombie looking husk. It suddenly became surrounded by blue fire and thrown backwards with a wave of Kaidan's arm.

"Speak of the devil," said Kaidan.

"Right, take the lower path, but don't stop moving around, there's not much cover over there. Everybody got their jobs?"

"What are you going to do, sir!?" asked Ashley.

"Me? I'm gonna kill all the Geth that are shooting at us!" Shepard threw the grenade he had unhinged at the beginning of his speech.

The explosion was loud and close, but it heralded Shepard's orders. With the Geth distracted with the explosion, Ashley ran low to the ground, unfolding her Avenger assault rifle and began peppering them with gun fire. Kaidan stepped out into the road, throwing three or four husks with his biotics, while finishing them off with his pistol.

Shepard, on the other hand, popped up with his sniper rifle, taking three shots and getting three kills. He then ducked down and ran to a different part of the hill to pop up from, never staying stagnant in his position.

The Geth forces began to divert their gunfire, between the woman hitting them with constant fire and the man throwing their husks away like a biotic slingshot, they lost focus on the true threat: Shepard.

By the time the battle was finished, Shepard had taken most of the kill shots, the Geth laid on the floor in pieces due to the powerful shots of his sniper rifle.

The ground was littered with Geth and husks, but also, to Ashley's horror, burned up human bodies. Different sizes too. She bent down to look at one body in particular. It was a human about three feet tall. _Twelve, maybe ten years old? _Ashley looked at the body painfully. _Why did you have to die? Where were your parents?_ Kaidan's voice broke Ashley's train of thought.

"Commander! Over here. It's Nihlus."

"It's who? Nihlus?" asked Shepard, running over to the body that Kaidan indicated at. Ashley followed.

Shepard knelt down beside the Turian body, rolling it over to its back. The remainder of the face bore black skin, and on it, the white "specter" paint that Shepard had previously taken note of. Where the bottom part of his face should've been, was a gap, a hole from the gun that had blasted through his head.

Shepard slammed a hand on the ground. He then stood back up, and walked a short distance before turning back to face his team mates, who watched him with concern.

"He was shot in the back of the head." said Shepard, his eyes clamped shut in anger. He opened them quickly. "He didn't even pull out a gun! Whoever killed him got him to let his guard down, even enough to momentarily holster his weapon. They didn't sneak up on him, they didn't have to lower his shields, and that certainly weren't Geth." Shepard listed off criteria while pacing about, eyes anger and piercing.

Kaidan began a suggestion. "Commander, perhaps we should ask Anderson what we should do…"

"No! The mission is clear, we find the beacon and retrieve it," Shepard said angrily.

He looked at the concerned face of Kaidan, then to Ashley's and his anger subsided.

"But you're right, we need to call this in."

* * *

**To Airam, for putting up with me.**


	3. Chapter 3: William's Curse

**Bill Here! Long chapter, this one. A lot of dialogue, but also a lot foreshadowing and some important themes are set in this chapter. We see a lot more of how Shepard thinks, more of his past, some of his high jinks and Shepard just being awesome in general. Mostly interactions with Ashley and Kaidan, two characters that I have yet to completely define. Ashley gets a lot of story time in this one, but don't worry, the best is yet to come. Some story about Shepard's nickname (but not all of it!) and other things to clarify the story line so far. **

**Leave a comment or review if you liked this chapter, or if you didn't, your opinions are loved and accepted.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Shepard to Normandy, I've got a downed Spectre here, it's Nihlus," Shepard said reluctantly, "He's… He's gone."

"Roger that, Shepard. Have you found the beacon?" asked Anderson.

"Negative, it's been moved, most likely by the Geth troops here."

"Geth? I thought Nihlus was talking crazy for a second there. This mission just gets worse and worse," said Anderson.

"Tell me about it," Shepard said.

"Find the beacon, Shepard. We'll sort the rest of this all out."

"Right."

"Oh, and Shepard?" Anderson asked.

"Yes?" Shepard answered.

"Don't die on me," finished Anderson.

"Roger that."

* * *

Ashley paced back and forth outside the med bay.

The rest of the mission had gone fine. Better than fine. With Kaidan taking the short range, Shepard taking the long, and her taking anything in between, mopping up the Geth had been easy. _Almost like I was practicing back in boot camp_. Shepard had given orders, told them to do this, to do that, and somehow the Geth were brought down easily. Ashley didn't know if that was just the Geth in general, but it seemed like Shepard was a strategic mastermind. _Shepard, the Shepard, Commander Blake "Black Dog" Shepard. _Ashley thought fondly of how calm he was while in battle, taking out each Geth quickly and fluidly, like a movement he had practiced many times. She thought about how his eyes flashed a shade of anger, his face had lit up by the light each shot made, only his scar was visible with the scope of his gun covering the rest of his face. She thought about how good he looked in his black armor, his black hair cut short, and the red N7 logo branded to his chest. _Whoa there soldier, keep those thoughts under control. He's a commander, and you're just a Gunnery Chief. Besides, he's Blake Shepard, Hero of Elysium; he probably has tons of girls throwing themselves at him every time he goes on shore leave._

Ashley sighed; hands coming up wipe her face. She leaned against the wall and slid down to a seated position, hands still covering her face. _He's the Hero of Elysium, and all you are is the stupid bitch that killed him._

_Sure you didn't know that beacon was active, sure it wasn't your fault that it grabbed control of your body and began to try to rape your mind, but without you doing that, Shepard wouldn't have had to grab you and toss you to Alenko, only to be grabbed by the beacon in your place. _Ashley groaned, long and loud, a self-loathing groan of pain and frustration, due to the nature of her finally meeting her hero, her celebrity soldier role model, the Blake Shepard, only to be directly involved in killing him.

The med bay door opened up, revealing Shepard and Anderson walking out. Both wore grim faces, no doubt due to a heated discussion over the nature of the events at hand. Anderson walked to the elevator and Shepard walked over to where Ashley now sat. At the sight of him, Ashley shot up to her feet in attention.

"Commander! You're alive! You're ok! Oh my God!" Ashley exclaimed.

"Alive, but definitely weirded out. This mission really screwed me over, if you know what I mean." Shepard made a tired gesture. "Let's go to mess hall, I need something to eat."

Ashley nodded, following him while trying to contain her excitement.

When they got to the mess hall, Shepard grabbed a couple of trays of food and sat down, tiredly. Ashley, realizing that she hadn't eaten since she was posted back on Eden Prime, a full eight hours ago, grabbed a tray of food and sat across from Shepard.

They both ate without talking, Ashley too shy to start conversation, and Shepard, too infatuated with the nutrients in front of him.

Shepard was consumed with consumption. He was filled with intentions of filling his gullet. He was digested by the desire to digest food in his stomach. He had eaten a full three trays of food, six side dishes, and drained five cases of the Alliance's green drink mix, a hydrating liquid to refuel the Alliance soldiers properly during and in between missions. At this point, he was drawing a crowd. The people sat on the bench across from him, eyes glancing between Shepard, as he ate, to the stack of various empty trays and bottles that had begun to pile up. Shepard looked up, and all eyes scattered, looking either down or to the side.

_Damn. _Shepard thought to himself, _I forgot._

After each mission, and especially after rigorous ones, Shepard would usually be completely drained of energy, and thus go to the mess hall to eat. The amount of food he ate was, by most human standards, excessive.

Usually, when he felt hungry, he would get a tray of food, eat it, and then leave, only to return again in a few minutes to repeat the process. By the time he returned, everyone who had seen him eat would be done with their meal and have left, giving Shepard a new set of people to eat around. This assured that nobody would notice his large appetite, save the cook, with whom Shepard had brokered an agreement of confidence. But after spending the day taking out all those Geth, and then getting grabbed by that force, that thing, and seeing those visions, Shepard had only done what had come natural. Which he now, to a certain degree, regretted.

Shepard drained another bottle of "Alliance-Aid", which he mentally called it, and set the bottle with the others.

Shepard glared at the group as they continued to loiter around guiltily. He considered breaking the audience up when Kaidan stepped in for him.

"Alright, alright, everybody break it up, nothing to see here. Go on, get back to your posts."

"Thanks Alenko, thought I would have to break up that crowd manually," said Shepard, as he opened another bottle of green fluid and started gulping it down.

"No sweat commander. And for record, I think that since you killed ten times the amount of enemies as anyone else on the ship, you should get ten times the amount of food rations too," Kaidan said with a smile.

Shepard coughed and spewed the green drink out of his nose. Kaidan exploded in laughter as Ashley jumped up from the bench in disgust.

"Eeeewwwwww! Commander!"

Kaidan fell to the floor, the laughter almost crippling him as his knees buckled. His laughter was so infectious, that Ashley began to laugh as well. When Shepard finished coughing out the remaining fluid that had been caught in his throat, he too began laughing with pair. All three were cracking up when Anderson walked up to the bench.

"What's going on over here?" Anderson asked.

"Oh nothing Captain, just a bit of fun gone rye." Kaidan managed to say, stifling his laughter.

"Well you three seem in good spirits. We're heading to the Citadel next, be there in a couple of hours. Carry on." Anderson walked away, smile on his face, the laughter too infectious to leave even him unaffected.

* * *

Ashley sat at the table, reassembling her Avenger assault rifle. She fitted the various parts and pieces together mindlessly, her hands familiar enough with the pieces to do the job themselves, while her mind wandered.

_Shepard _She thought, her hands still piecing together the rifle, _I always wondered how he would be. For some reason, I thought he would be more, I don't know, different. _

Ashley thought about how Shepard might look if he was stricter, like the drill sergeant from boot camp. An image came of Shepard standing at attention stiffly, in full Alliance uniform. His uniform bore a cornucopia of various medals and ribbons, which made Ashley feel both attraction and envy. Ashley put that image of Shepard into the scenario of the hill they had taken before discovering Nihlus; Shepard stood firmly in uniform as the Geth fired shots at the trio's cover.

Kaidan was yelling out, a question, he was asking for orders from Shepard. Shepard turned his head, and without moving his body he said "Charge the hill, Alenko." Kaidan promptly ran over the hill, only to riddled with holes from the Geth's pulse rifles. Ashley turned to the stiff standing Shepard, asking for permission to retreat. His head turned slowly, his eyes grew red and piercing, boring into her brain. He said in a low, unholy voice, "of course you want to retreat, you're a Williams. Your grandfather was a fool, a coward, and you are clearly his offspring." The evil Shepard now turned to face Ashley and grew ten stories tall, lifting its monstrous foot to smash Ashley into the ground. "Williams" it said, cackling evilly. She tried to run, run away as fast as she could, but she discovered she was running in place. "Williams!" the Shepard yelled, bloodlust in its eyes, fire cackling out his deathly mouth. She looked up and saw the bottom of a giant foot as she screamed.

"Williams! Ashley! Wake up!" yelled Shepard in Ashley's ear. He shook her body by the shoulder as her head rose from the table, drool wet on the side of her face. She looked back at him dimly.

"Huh? What is it Shepard?" asked the half conscious Ashley.

"Well, I came down to talk to you, and you seemed to be having a bad dream or something," said Shepard, voice full of concern.

Ashley's brain stopped working for a second. Then a light went on, some gears started turning, and Ashley jumped to attention, sending the chair she was sitting on and various pieces of her unassembled Avenger across the room. Her hand went into a strong salute, which ended up hitting her in the eye as it came to her head. She wiped the drool off the side of her face furiously.

"Yes sir! Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212 Sir! What are your orders, sir?" Ashley practically yelled across the room.

"Whoa there cowgirl, no need to start a fire. I just came down to talk to you."

"Sir! Any questions you have will be answered to the best of my ability, sir!" said Ashley, still in full salute.

"Ok… but first put that hand down, you're scaring me." Shepard gently grabbed Ashley's saluting hand and guided it down to the side of her body. She remained, however, standing straight up, as stiff as a board.

"First question, how are you doing?" asked Shepard.

"Sir?"

"Let me rephrase: what is the overall collective nature of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing?" Shepard smiled, he liked exaggerating things.

"Well, I feel ok…"

"Good, go on…"

"It feels weird being on a ship this advanced, even for a little while," Ashley gazed around the room, distantly.

"Well, it comes with being an advanced soldier, you could say."

"I'm really gonna miss this place when I get reassigned. It's going to be so boring, the next place they send me will probably be as dingy and as back water as the rest of my assignments." Ashley said, sighing.

"Really? Why do you say that?" asked Shepard.

"All of my past assignments have been like that, always some guard duty at a station on some planet no one cares about."

"Why is that? Your record shows exemplary marks in almost all areas of combat. You even received a leadership recommendation, apparently."

"It's the Williams curse, sir."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if your luck was about to change."

"Yeah, from bad to worse. I was on duty when my entire unit gets killed, and the worst part is: somehow the fact that they got killed is going to get blamed on me. Somehow, someway, it was my fault that they died." Ashley sighed violently. "It is kind of** is** my fault to begin with…"

"You really think that?" asked Shepard solemnly.

"Well isn't it? I mean, I was the one in charge, so to speak. I was the most talented soldier there, not to mention the most experienced. Why wouldn't it be my fault that my unit was killed?"

"Well, first off, people die. That's part of life, and it's definitely part of war. No one can escape death, only delay it, and even then there are limits. Now, in reference to the men in your unit, who were killed by a race of sentient machines that live far behind the Veil, in a completely different system than Eden Prime, accompanied by an unknown dreadnought class ship, which made movements too sudden and too powerful to be identified under any known propulsion system that exists in the galaxy, only to be classified as an official UFO, even after the discovery of thousands of alien species. Yet despite all that, you think that there was some way for you to know the aforementioned criteria was coming, and so, a way for you not only to escape with your life, but the rest of your unit's lives as well?" Shepard looked at Ashley skeptically.

"Well, when you say it like, you make it sound like they came out of nowhere…"

"Didn't they?" Shepard retorted. "I mean, aren't you at least proud that you made it out alive?"

"Proud? I would've been proud standing by my fellow soldiers, fighting off the enemy, fighting to the last man."

"Technically, you did fight to last man," said Shepard, smirking.

Ashley gave him a frown. "You know what I mean. Besides, instead of dying next to my comrades, I ran like a coward."

"You ran **before** the Geth attacked?"

"No, I fought until all my friends were dead. Then I took off. But I should've died there, on the ground by my men."

"Ashley, you ran because you could run. I mean, the fact that you recognized the moment when retreat was the only way to survive, and then took it, proves that you have skills beyond simple training."

"Are you saying I'm alive because I knew what the perfect time to run away looked like? Or are you saying that I was just lucky?"

"Sometimes things happen for a reason; luck is only used to fill that space until the reason becomes clear." Shepard said vaguely. "Besides, the men in your unit weren't the only casualties that day."

Ashley recalled the events somberly. She remembered seeing those bodies, burnt to a crisp, and finding Nihlus, his turian corpse surrounded by a blue halo of his own blood. Then she remembered something Shepard said after she was asked to come along.

"Who is Jenkins?" asked Ashley.

Shepard sighed deeply, hands coming up to cover his expression. They fell, rubbing his face in a tired manner.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Ashley said, fearing she had somehow brought up a sensitive topic.

"No, it's good that I talk about it. Jenkins… Jenkins was a good soldier… no he was a kid in a soldier's uniform. He was… he was so young, you know, in spirit, and in the mind. It was his first mission really, his first bit of action, but also his last. It was weird, he was just talking to me about wanting to go on more dangerous missions, and he said he wanted to be like me. It was like an omen. I don't know if I saw his death coming, but it certainly felt like that."

"Were you close?"

"Not personally. But he had this… Jenkins just had this naïve way of thinking that would remind you of back when you were younger, back when you thought like that. Back when you didn't know what war was like, how it felt to get shot at, or how it felt to kill a man. Back when you didn't know what it felt like to have someone you loved stripped away from you…" The last sentence Shepard said low and quiet, almost to himself rather than to the question. "No, you never really get used to losing someone, not even after you've lost a lot of people. It just makes the bonds you still have all the more important."

There was a silent moment, whether in honor of the fallen, or a pause for emotions to subside, Ashley didn't know, but she intended to change to a lighter subject.

"Would it be ok if I was blunt?" asked Ashley.

"Sure, go for it."

"Who the hell are you?" Ashley asked plainly.

Shepard's head cocked to the side. "I'm… I'm Blake Shepard… I thought we went over this."

"No, it's just that… that's not what I meant…" Ashley stumbled for words, "I mean… what I mean is, is who the hell are you really? I mean, are you the legendary 'Black Dog' everyone talks about? The hero of Elysium? The vagrant of the battle field? All that other crap they call you?"

"Not really. I'm just a guy who is good with a gun." Shepard answered coolly.

"Then why do they call you 'Black Dog'?" asked Ashley, desperately.

"Well…" as Shepard started to think he took as seat besides Ashley's, only for Ashley to follow in suit. "I guess you could say it started in the slums. Living there every day, I had to scavenge for food, relying on my instincts. I went from corner to corner, alleyways and buildings, looking, smelling, and listening for anything. Half the time I was out, I was trying to find food, but the other half I was trying not to get killed. If they would see any vagrants, especially if they weren't in a group, they'd try and kill them, just because. It was a well-known belief that the more people you killed, the more food you'd get, since dead people didn't eat. For that reason, starving wasn't my only concern. So, to survive, I had to be extra sneaky, not to mention smart."

Ashley watched Shepard as he told his story with great interest, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Wwwwwoooooooowwwwww..." she said, absentmindedly.

"Right, so anyway, after I got out and joined the Alliance, after I finished basic training, they tried me as an Infiltrator. They gave me a gun, some camouflage, and some supplies, and threw me in the middle of the sniper grounds, where all the other Infiltrator candidates were being tested. I'm not sure why they put me in this particular drill; they said something about it being fun to watch new recruits get shot on their first day. But I ended up messing the whole thing up."

"What? What happened?" Ashley asked hurriedly, quite invested in the story so far.

"Well, since it was an exercise to find and shoot people, that's what I did. We had practice bullets, and once you got hit your Omni tool registered that you were taken out, so I started looking for people hiding, I started finding them, and I started shooting them. By the time I was finished, I had taken out all the other participants. There were three sniper duels pending in those grounds, and I had taken out all the major combatants."

"Wow, how'd you do that?"

"Easy," said Shepard, a finger coming up to point to his nostril, "I followed my nose. The whole time this exercise went on, the snipers had to eat something. Granola bars, peanut butter crackers, trail mix, milk chocolate bars, beef jerky, even nutrient paste was easy to smell after the third hour."

"Third hour? What happened then?"

"I ran out of food."

Ashley burst into laughter. She wasn't used to a superior officer with this kind of relaxed attitude. And she certainly wasn't used to being friendly with Shepard.

"Though that doesn't exactly explain why I got the name 'Black Dog'. That came during advanced training. I had a habit of staying low, moving from cover to cover, sniffing out enemies, spending days out in the field. Sometimes I would tag people up close with my sidearm, just to prove how good I was."

"Anyway, in this one training, the field sergeant decided that he would participate, just to access his recruits and point out any flaws in their technique. He tagged everyone, save for yours truly. After the training was finished, he reported seeing a black dog walking around the fields, in the bushes and in the trenches even. You should have seen his face when I said that was me! They said that my black hair, along with my talent to 'sniff' people out, that the nickname 'Black Dog' fit. And when I graduated from the N7 program, I got this"

Shepard unbuttoned the front part of his shirt to reveal his bare chest. At first, Ashley thought she had a front row ticket to a special and possibly racy little show, but Shepard only removed it to take off the sleeve over his shoulder. He put his elbow on the table, and pointed to the side of his upper arm.

On the side of his arm, from his defined tricep to his muscular shoulder, inked into his skin so cleanly it was almost natural, bore the form of wolf on his skin, black and ghostly, with piercing eyes that matched Shepard's when he was angry. It was a tattoo of aggression, of warning, of omen. Ashley was severely impressed.

"Yeah, I saw a painting just like this one, and I asked the man selling it if he did tattoos. He said he didn't anymore, but he would make an exception. Weird huh?"

Ashley said nothing, completely absorbed with emergence of this ominous tattoo. _And I thought Shepard was a hunk already, but this, this is a beef cake supreme._

Shepard laughed, buttoning up his shirt, unaware of the disrobement being continued in Ashley's mind.

"Maybe you should get one too," said Shepard.

"Wha…what should I get?" asked Ashley, snapping out of it now that Shepard was completely dressed.

"I don't know, get whatever you want."

"Like what? A dolphin maybe?"

"A dolphin? Chief, I didn't know you were into such girly stuff," said Shepard, chuckling.

"Hey, just because I can drill you in between the eyes at a hundred meters, doesn't mean I don't like girly stuff. But don't spread it around."

"Whatever you say, Chief. Just don't get a tramp stamp!" Shepard roared into laughter, so much that Ashley had to smile.

"Wow, I sure am gonna miss this," said Ashley.

"Miss what?" asked Shepard, wiping a tear of laughter from his face.

"Miss being here on the Normandy. Everyone is so nice here, and I finally got to meet you! I mean, the Blake Shepard. Do you think you could sign my gun?" She handed the largest piece of casing from her disassembled Avenger she could find to Shepard.

"Sure, but where are you going?" Shepard asked as he wrote something on the gun casing.

"I don't know, the William's curse follows me everywhere I go. Every time I get reassigned, my superiors give me the lowest post they can find."

"Why is that?"

"Well, because of my grandfather."

Shepard looked confused, "Because the Alliance brass has it out for granddaughters now?"

Now it was Ashley's turn to look confused. "You haven't heard of the battle of Shanxi, the surrender of General Williams to the Turian forces during the First Contact War, the only time a human has ever surrendered to an alien force?"

"I was pretty out of the loop back on Earth."

"Well, because of that, I always get these backwater posts, way below my skill level, and whenever I request a transfer, they always get denied. All because General Williams was my grandfather."

"Was?"

Ashley nodded, glumly. "He died a long time ago. My dad too. Service of the Alliance has been in my family ever since the Alliance was founded. My granddad, my grandmother, my dad served in the Alliance. It's in my blood. And now the Williams name is shamed because my grandfather surrendered to the Turians in the First Contact War." Ashley held her head low.

Shepard sighed.

"Want my opinion?"

Ashley's head nodded.

"I think that if a man has to do something that makes him look bad publicly, but saves the people he's responsible for, he should do it anyway. I think if a man commands a city and is attacked by an overwhelming force, he should save the people he's sworn to protect instead of his pride. I think that fighting for humanity is in every human's blood, in our bones, right down to our DNA. And I think that the fact that your grandfather was shamed for surrendering to aliens, shows that humanity thinks it will never have to surrender to an alien force ever again, a large and stupid assumption." Shepard leaned in close to Ashley's face. "And I think if a woman gets certified to use an assault rifle with the amount of recommendations you did, she should be put on an assignment where she has as many things to shoot as she can handle."

Ashley smiled, eyes falling to floor, cheeks beginning to turn red.

Shepard smiled and got up. "Good talk. Have fun with your next assignment, it may be boring, but at least you're serving the Alliance."

Shepard walked away as Kaidan ran up to Ashley, nodding to Shepard as he passed.

"Hey, what are you doing? We got to suit up. We're accompanying Shepard and Anderson to the Citadel today."

Ashley's head rose.

"What? Since when am I working on the Normandy?"

"Since Shepard cleared your paperwork. He got you transferred after we got back from Eden Prime. Yeah, there was some trouble with your commanding officer, so Shepard threatened to strip him of all of his ranks and make him a private again. You should've heard the call when he asked who he was talking to, and Shepard gave his full name and rank. You didn't know?"

Ashley turned and looked, finding Shepard step into the elevator and turn around to punch the controls. He winked at her before the elevator doors closed.

"That cheeky son of a-"

"Chief, we gotta go, is all your stuff ready?" Kaidan said hurriedly.

"Yeah sure, I just need to put it all in my…." Ashley turned, and was instantly reminded that she was yet to have finished reassembling her disassembled Avenger. She began franticly picking up the scattered pieces on the floor. "Just a minute, Alenko, just give me five minutes, no maybe ten…"

"Uh sure, do you need help?"

"No! I can do this by myself! Just meet me on the deck!"

"Ok…" said Kaidan as he turned and walked away.

Ashley picked up the pieces, tossing them back on the table in a hurry. She noticed a large piece and grabbed it, seeing some writing on the side of it. She turned in over saw that it was the piece she gave Shepard to sign.

It read: "Dear Ashley, Some things happen for a reason. You just have to have faith, and wait for that reason to become clear. Yours Truly, Commander Blake "Black Dog" Shepard."

Ashley smiled.

* * *

**For Airam, with love and attraction.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Plot thickens

**Bill here! This chapter has the first trial with the council (the details are changed a bit, since in this fan-fiction, Saren wasn't seen killing Nihlus), we also get to meet Garrus and Wrex, but unfortunately Udina as well. Got some good dialogue, a lot more action, and much more of Shepard being a badass. give me a review if you liked the chapter, or if you had a problem with it. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Kaidan liked the Citadel.

After being raised in space and being 'encouraged' to attend BAaT, the Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training, he had seen his share unfavorable locations. He liked being in crowds, he liked the buying and selling of goods, the people doing business with each other, the general mesh of all the races in a place that wasn't a home world to one race, but home to many, and thus having a diverse population. There were majorities of course, notably the amount of Turians in C-Sec, the Volus running shops, and the Asari serving as managers of the station. _The Asari _Kaidan thought, his eyes following the pleasant sight of two Asari women passing by him. _I hate to say goodbye, but I love to watch them go. _He was shaken by a tap from Ashley.

"Eyes front, Romeo," she said bitterly.

Kaidan looked forward, noticing the distance between him and Ashley to Shepard and Anderson. He quickly caught up with the commander and captain, chastening himself for getting distracted.

"This is no time to be caught looking at the scenery," Ashley said with scorn. "Besides, what makes you think those **aliens **would give the time of day to human?"

"Just because I can't order from a restaurant, does not mean I can't look at the menu." Kaidan gave a smirk. "Besides, what's your problem with the Asari? They're like the most peaceful council race, no, any race in the galaxy."

"That's not the point; they're just so… you know," Ashley managed to stutter out.

"Would you mind reminding me?" Kaidan asked.

"They're shaped like human women, but they always look down on us. Like they're better than us or something," Ashley said angrily.

"Oooohhhh, I see what this is. You're jealous, aren't you? All the human men getting taken by Asari women? I guess you should be," Kaidan said teasingly

"It's not that, it's just that… shut up!" Ashley punched Kaidan in the arm, and again as Kaidan cringed, avoiding punches while laughing.

"Hey, I'm glad you guys are getting along, but do you think we have time to do some work in between your flirting?" Shepard asked.

Ashley and Kaidan turned, the teasing had distracted them from the fact that both Shepard and Anderson had reached the elevator, now waiting impatiently for the Lieutenant and Gunnery Chief.

"Y-yes sir, right away sir!" said Ashley quickly.

"Sorry Commander, won't happen again," Kaidan said guiltily.

"I mean, not that I mind, just do it on your own time," Shepard said with a chuckle.

"I understand that the Citadel is exciting to see for the first time, but this is not a field trip," said Anderson strictly.

Both Kaidan and Ashley stood up straight in the elevator, remaining at attention the entire elevator ride, which was suspiciously long in a time of technology so advanced.

"Damn, I wish they would have some music at least," said Shepard, slouching to his side. To his left, Anderson stood straight with his arms behind his back, but relaxed as well, turning inward to speak to Shepard. Kaidan and Ashley remained at attention as best they could, afraid of subjecting themselves to further infraction.

"We're going to the Presidium to talk to the Council, but before that we'll see the Human Ambassador, Donnel Udina, to review our case," Anderson said.

"Nice guy, Udina?" asked Shepard.

Anderson sighed. "Ambassador Udina is quite a character; his temperament, or lack of, is well known in the Council and Presidium."

"So, he's an asshole?" Shepard answered.

"Pretty much," answered Anderson, "but he's useful, to us and to our cause."

Shepard chuckled. "Anderson, you don't have to take that official tone with me you know. I'm not a politician or general."

Anderson shifted in position, embarrassed slightly. "Yeah, but I have to get back into 'political mode', these politicians will eat you up if you don't speak with neutral integrity."

"Neutral integrity? Seems more like you got a stick up your ass," answered Shepard with a smile.

Anderson laughed, a deep and low laugh that filled the entire room. Kaidan and Ashley were surprised at how informal the conversation between Anderson and Shepard had gone, seeing Anderson as a high ranking Captain made him socially barricaded, yet Shepard had easily slipped through that façade. It was heartwarming to see how close they were.

The elevator halted, and the present party all straightened up, as the doors opened revealing an illustrious sight.

The Presidium was beautiful. The station was white and clean, silvery almost, with plants grown on every balcony, blue skies and quaint ponds, everything was polished to a shine, grown to a blossom, and cleaned to a sparkle.

Kaidan and Ashley looked around dreamily, as Shepard and Anderson walked forward to a well-dressed, but crooked looking man. The man stepped forward and shook Anderson's hand by the time Ashley and Kaidan had snapped out of their lucid observations.

"Captain Anderson," said the man, his voice very blunt and meticulous.

"Ambassador Udina, this is Commander Blake Shepard," Anderson gestured in Shepard's direction.

"Ah yes, Commander Shepard, how do you do?" Udina said slimily.

"Howdy. So, are we gonna stand around the lobby and gawk, or are we gonna talk behind closed doors?" asked Shepard, his speech still quite informal.

Udina looked at Shepard careful, unsure of what he thought. "If you'll follow me to my office, we can speak about the trial hearing inside." Udina turned and walked in the direction of the main offices, Shepard, Anderson, Ashley and Kaidan following in suit.

* * *

"Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I'm the C-Sec officer in charge of the investigation into the events on Eden Prime."

Shepard shook the hand of the Turian in C-Sec armor.

"Oh really? Find anything interesting?" Shepard asked, amused.

"Well, the most interesting things were the things I didn't find," Garrus answered.

Shepard's eyebrow rose. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Well, during my investigation, I was barred from seeing certain evidence. It was very,…" Garrus sighed and spoke the last word harshly "…taxing."

Shepard was curious. "Why weren't you allowed to see certain evidence? The appearance of the Geth shouldn't have been that classified."

"Appearance of the Geth?" Garrus asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, you didn't know? How much evidence were you barred from?"

"All of it!" Garrus exclaimed, quite anxious. "I mean, I received some soil samples, some solar flare readings, some charts on recent weather patterns, but anything on the surface, or around the area was completely classified. How am I supposed to have an investigation, when I can't even get information on the crime scene?"

"Classified? How are they classified?" asked Shepard.

"This Spectre named Saren did it. He came in, voided everything, put everything under 'Classified: Spectre Clearance Only'. Cleaned out my entire stash of evidence, before I even got to look at it."

"Saren? You mean Saren Arterius?" asked Shepard.

"Yeah, you know him?" asked Garrus glumly.

"Know him? He's been a Spectre for twenty four years. He's always out in the Skyllian Verge, keeping everything stable. What the hell does he have to do with Eden Prime?" Shepard asked.

"Maybe he's been involved because of the death of Nihlus?" Kaidan suggested.

"The death of Nihlus?" Garrus was shocked. "What do you mean 'the death of Nihlus'?"

"So I guess they barred you from that too, huh?" Shepard asked.

"You're damn right! If Nihlus Kryik is dead, then this trial goes deeper than I thought."

"You can say that again." Shepard said.

* * *

Shepard, followed by Kaidan, Ashley, Anderson, and Udina, walked into the Council room, a large and spacious hall, almost too spacious for the small number of people involved. _The council, just how necessary is all this? _Shepard wasn't a fan of aesthetics, especially when he thought it was substituted for importance.

The council was standing at the front of the room, their platform elevated to display power. As Shepard and company entered and reached the end of the platform, the Asari Councilor spoke.

"The Council had been brought together to review the events of Eden Prime and the actions taken by the Alliance soldier known as Commander Blake Shepard. An investigation by C-Sec has been compiled in advance, to support or dismiss the events as described by Commander Shepard. Now, Commander Shepard, according to your accountant of the events on Eden Prime, you found the Spectre Nihlus Kryik dead?"

_So that's what made this trial so classified. _"Yes councilor and that is reflected by the accounts of my comrades who followed me during the mission." Shepard stated.

"A Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko and a Corporal Richard Jenkins?" asked the Salarian councilor.

"No councilor, Corporal Jenkins was killed in battle at the beginning of the mission, shortly before the discovery of Nihlus' corpse," Shepard corrected.

The Turian Councilor whispered something under his breath with a scornful expression. _I swear, if he says something bad about Jenkins…_

"Commander Shepard, your account shows that you had three companions on this mission, and throughout the mission logs," inquired the Asari Councilor.

"Yes, well, on the way to the beacon, we encountered an Alliance soldier, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, pinned down by Geth."

"Geth? The Geth haven't been seen outside the Veil for hundreds of years! What, did the Geth kill Nihlus and destroy the Prothean beacon as well?" The Turian Councilor blurted out.

"The Geth were there, they killed Corporal Jenkins, the unit Chief Williams was outfitted with, and the inhabitants of Eden Prime. They also moved the beacon to the port, and set charges to blow up the entire station, along with half the planet," Shepard said firmly, trying not to let his anger out.

"There has been no evidence to support this claim, Shepard." The Salarian Councilor cut in.

"I disarmed those charges myself!" Shepard shouted.

"And yet, C-Sec has no evidence of these charges ever existing," the Salarian Councilor added.

"That is because C-Sec wasn't allowed to see the evidence recovered from Eden Prime. It was 'classified' and painted with red tape by another Spectre." Anderson broke in, quite frustrated with the Council's behavior.

"With the death of Spectre Nihlus Kryik, the entire area was taken under Spectre custody. At this moment, there is no evidence to support the appearance of the Geth, or even the deaths of the inhabitants of Eden Prime," the Salarian Councilor stated.

"There hasn't been any evidence to disprove it either," Shepard responded.

The Turian councilor grimaced. "That's not the point!" he shouted angrily.

"The fact is that Nihlus wasn't killed by a Geth, nor was he killed by anything he saw as an enemy. He never drew a weapon against them, he let his guard down to holster his weapon, and his killer shot him in the back of his head."

"Then the killer could've been you!" said the Turian councilor.

"Yes, but that would be pointless, considering that Nihlus was evaluating my ability to become a Spectre."

"Then perhaps your evaluation was going awry, so you then shot him when he was defenseless," the Turian Councilor accused.

The Asari Councilor interrupted "Please Councilor, we will not run a trial with abstract speculation and finger pointing."

"The bottom line is that a trial cannot be run with such a large amount of classified evidence," The Salarian councilor stated.

A deep metallic voice interjected. "Evidence will not be necessary, Councilors, the human Blake Shepard is guilty of the death of Nihlus Kryik, and the destruction of the Prothean Beacon." A hologram showed a Turian, his face metallic in appearance.

"Saren," Anderson said with bitterness.

"Captain Anderson, why is it when humanity is making trouble, you are always involved?" Saren looked down on Shepard and his group, condescendingly.

"The only trouble has been made by you, when you barred all the evidence from use in this trial!" Anderson shouted angrily.

"Spectre Saren Arterius, you have been called to speak at this trial in place of the evidence you deemed classified to non-Spectre personnel. What say you of the innocence of Commander Shepard?" the Asari Councilor asked.

"Commander Blake Shepard is guilty. Commander Shepard, and his 'team', intended to find the Prothean beacon and steal it for themselves. Shepard, in conjunction with Anderson, killed Nihlus when he let his guard down, then killed all the inhabitants of Eden Prime, along with the Alliance personnel stationed there. The surviving officer of that unit was an agent, planted in advance, to support testimony to Shepard's mission logs. He then tried to blow up the station and surrounding area to get rid of any evidence, as well as framing the destruction of the beacon, which the Alliance planned to use in secret against the Citadel races. He is a murderer and a traitor, and is guilty of conspiracy, the assassination of a Spectre, and attempt to steal invaluable Prothean technology which would advance the galaxy hundreds of years in, as proven by the evidence found on Eden Prime."

Every human standing there, Udina, Anderson, Ashley, Kaidan, everyone was standing in shock of the Saren's statement. Everyone stood with their mouths gaping wide, but Shepard.

"Councilors? If I may, I would like to submit the first piece of evidence that wasn't blacklisted." With a nod from the Asari Councilor, Shepard touched his omnitool and brought a video up to the big screen.

It was the emergency transmission sent to Normandy from Ashley's unit on Eden Prime.

"You see, Councilors, Eden Prime was already under attack before me and my team landed. The time stamp on the video shows it, and if you correlate that with Nihlus' reports to the Citadel that he no doubt sent prior to the mission, you'll see that this is true. Saren's statement leaves out the details of the attack of Eden Prime before our arrival, while my mission logs clearly state the specifics of the situation." Shepard smiled.

Both the Turian Councilor and Saren were speechless.

"The evidence disproves Saren's testimony, while supporting Shepard's." the Salarian Councilor said quickly, clearly annoyed with the trial.

"Indeed," the Turian Councilor added quietly.

The Asari nodded to the other two councilors. "The Council will now judge on the innocence of Commander Shepard."

All three Councilors touched their omnitools. Then the Asari councilor spoke: "Commander Shepard, you are hereby innocent of all charges infringed upon you in this trial."

Shepard smiled. "Well now, ain't that something."

Saren began to speak, "Councilor, I must object-"

"You, Saren, have proved how unreliable you are. I understand that Nihlus's death has you mourning, but you cannot take it out on humans by framing Shepard with traitorous allegations. We will speak later, after the Council has assessed your performance." The Turian Councilor was strict and sharp with his words.

_So the Turian does have a sense of justice after all _thought Shepard

"Yes councilor," Saren answered, face in agony with anger.

"Well then Councilors, I must thank you for your cooperation and your judgment." Shepard said.

Shepard and company turned and left the Trial room.

"But they didn't decide if Shepard becomes a Spectre or not!" Udina shouted angrily, as they exited the Council room.

"Patience, Udina, I'm sure the Council recognized Shepard's judgment was worthy enough to send another representative, considering the extenuating circumstances surrounding the mission on Eden Prime. It might even prove in Shepard's favor that he survived and managed to prove himself innocent," Anderson said.

"Well then, what do we do now?" asked Shepard.

Anderson put a hand on Shepard's shoulder. "For now, you get to go on shore leave. You and your team. Me and Udina have business to attend to, and we'll have to find out what the next mission is."

Kaidan and Ashley both looked at each other in delight. _Shore leave at the Citadel? This mission gets better and better._

Udina and Anderson departed back to Udina's office, while Shepard, Kaidan, and Ashley entered the elevator back down and out the Presidium.

"Shore leave on the Citadel for an indefinite period of time?" Ashley said excitedly, "More like party till you drop and have to get dragged back to work."

"Not too hard now, Chief. Your superior officer will present, so you better keep a respectable attitude," Kaidan said with a laugh.

Shepard smiled. Seeing his crew mates happy was a luxury, and he wanted to let them enjoy the most of it.

The elevator reached the bottom and opened, revealing the rest of the Citadel. The three humans stepped out and began walking to the transit system, when Shepard stopped.

Ashley noticed and turned, confused by Shepard's behavior. Kaidan would've kept going without him if he hadn't noticed Ashley stop.

"Shepard, what are you doing? Come on! Shore leave, remember?" Ashley said with enthusiasm.

Shepard stood awkwardly. He looked strange, like he was trying to remember something he had forgotten, but was on the tip of his tongue.

"Go on without me, I'm afraid I have some business to attend to," Shepard said, politely.

Kaidan shrugged and turned, while Ashley remained looking at Shepard, concerned. Shepard smiled at her reassuringly.

"Go on now Chief, enjoy your shore leave, I'll meet up with you at the Normandy later."

Ashley smiled, satisfied. "Come on, Kaidan, let's go check out that club Flux…"

The two crewmates got into the transit system and flew away, to go on shore leave to blow off steam.

_Good, finally alone, _thought Shepard.

He turned and walked down the alleys, a maze of twists and turns, progressively getting dirtier as he walked further in. He happened to find a dingy little place called Chora's Den, a shady bar in the dark corner of the Citadel. He looked at the neon light sign, it was an outline of an asari, the head fringes of the outline were a dead giveaway. _What a shit hole. It's perfect. _He walked inside.

The bar was a circular section the middle the round room. In the center was a raised column with a platform for dancers. _On display for all to see._

He watched the dancers momentarily, and then looked around the bar, seeing various shady characters skulking in the dark edges of the pit. _All this place needs is sign outside that says 'No droids allowed'._

He walked up to the bar, motioned to the bartender to serve him.

"I'd like a drink, whiskey, human whisky," he said, making a point to enunciate the 'human' part.

"You got it," said the Turian bartender. He grabbed a glass from under the bar and a bottle of a familiar brown liquid, pouring the liquid into the glass, and then sliding the glass over to Shepard. Shepard lifted the glass with his hand, took a sip, and looked around the room once more.

His eyes glanced over the patrons. _Some mean looking aliens here_ he thought to himself, as he noticed two Krogan facing each other, both taking aggressive stances.

He looked closer, interested in what he deemed to be a good fight waiting to happen. One Krogan was clearly a bouncer, guarding the door from the other, which was probably a mercenary of some sort. The Merc's armor was blood red, and he sported a slash on his head plate from left to right, scarring all the way down the right side of face to his neck. _Nice scars you got there, Godzilla. _Shepard tuned out the club music to listen in to their conversation.

"Back off Wrex, Fist told us to take you down if you showed up," said the bouncer.

"What are you waiting for? I'm standing right here," said the Merc.

_Oh I like this guy, let's see where this goes. _Shepard leaned forward in his seat.

"This is Fist's only chance. If he's smart, he'll take it," the Merc said.

"He's not coming out Wrex. End of Story," said the bouncer

The Merc leaned in close. "This story is only beginning," He turned and walked away. As he walked to the exit, past the bar, Shepard called out to him.

"Hey, nice work putting the scare on that guy, Fist was it?" said Shepard.

"What do you want?" the Merc got to the point, hard and fast.

"I want what you want; I want to see that guy, Fist, get torn apart by you."

The Merc smiled, his blood red eyes and scarred face made a smile so evil it would scare the hair off a cat.

"Fist is a fool; he had his chance to die with dignity in battle. Now I will have to find another way to kill him, one that involves getting through that door."

Shepard turned and looked at the door. "Couldn't you just blow it up?"

"Of course I could, human, but the trouble lies in getting explosives to do so. It'd be easier if just waited for Fist to come out."

"Yeah but he'll never come out with you out here." Shepard and turned and smiled at the Merc. "He'd piss his pants, even worse in his own club." Shepard took another sip of the drink. "That'd be fun to see though. I haven't seen any killings that gave me pleasure lately."

The Merc turned to Shepard. "What do you know about killing, human?"

Shepard leaned in closer, tracing his scar from top to bottom with his finger. "Batarian pirate, Skyllian Blitz, Elysium. Held off an entire group of 'em on the ground. By the time I was done, my kill count was about three hundred, give or take."

The Merc grinned a cruel grin. "Batarian pirates, huh? Think you're tough because you survived a whole group of those pyjaks?" He chuckled and sat next to Shepard.

"Shepard, Blake Shepard, Alliance military," Shepard stuck out his hand.

The Merc grabbed it in a firm grip. "Urdnot Wrex, Mercenary, and let's keep it at just that."

"Well then Wrex, getting that door open seems to be your prime objective." Shepard gestured to the door. "I would recommend either hacking it, or getting one of these fine young men to give you the code by asking nicely."

Wrex's voice rumbled deep and Shepard realized that the Krogan was thinking. "Perhaps I should get some outside consultation from one of the locals. I must go; I have people to kill and credits to earn. With any luck, we'll meet on the battlefield, Shepard."

"Until then," Shepard raised his glass to salute his newly met companion's departure. When he left, Shepard rose from his seat, finished his drink quickly, and walked over to the dancers. As he approached, an Asari dancer walked up to him and spoke.

"Hey there, aren't you handsome? Would you like a dance?" the Asari asked.

"Why yes I would. You wouldn't give a discount to a famous person, would ya?" Shepard leered at her.

"Of course I would, Commander Blake. How about we do this somewhere private?" the Asari asked, batting her eyes at Shepard.

Shepard nodded drunkenly. He followed the Asari by the hand into a private room with a couch facing a pole. The Asari sat him down on the couch, quite enthusiastically.

"I'm going to be right back, ok Shepard?"

Shepard managed a tired grunt, lazily raising his hand in a 'thumbs up'.

The Asari left the room, closing the door behind her. Shepard got up from the couch and drew his pistol. He walked over to the wall beside the door, kneeling to the ground and leaning against it.

_And now we wait, as the fish takes the bait._

* * *

Shepard waited for about ten minutes when the door opened, a Turian walking through the door. Shepard tackled him to the ground, taking him by surprise, and pointed the gun in his face.

"You're not an Asari stripper," Shepard said with a smirk.

The Turian looked at his hand, a pistol was clutched in his grasp, and Shepard pulled his knife from its sheath and stabbed into the Turian's forearm. The Turian screamed, his mandibles flaring so violently they might've dislocated, but Shepard pushed the gun into his mouth, getting his undivided attention. Shepard looked into the Turian's eyes, a cold and ruthless feeling came over him. This man, this alien had attempted to kill him.

"Why were you following me?" Shepard said slowly and with great malice.

The Turian stumbled for words; the gun still in his mouth prevented him from speaking properly. Shepard pulled the gun out his mouth, but kept it close in front of the Turian's face, so much that the Turian's eyes crossed while he was looking at it.

"I-I-I…." the Turian stuttered in fear and shock.

"Speak. Now," Shepard said with a patient hatred.

"I-I-I was paid to follow you; they said it'd be easy, then they wanted me to shoot you in the back of the head, but I-"

"You thought I wouldn't notice being followed. And then you followed me to a place shady enough to kill me in. How lucky for you." Shepard smiled an evil smile.

"No no no no, it wasn't like that, I didn't, I wasn't going to..."

"You weren't what? Going to shoot me? Of course you were, you had the gun, the perfect chance to kill me, and you needed the money. How much did you pay that stripper to offer me a dance?"

"I don't…"

"How much. Did you. Pay her?" Shepard said each two syllables in a cruel tempo.

"200 credits."

Shepard smiled again. _200 credits, that's chump change._

"Ok, now how much did they pay you?" Shepard asked, humored by the current situation.

"15,000 credits. Half up front, half when you were confirmed dead."

"Ok, now here's the million dollar question. Who. Do. You. Work. For?"

The Turian shivered in fear, shaking like leaf in the wind.

"Tell me," Shepard prodded.

The Turian closed his eyes, shutting them as hard as he could.

"Tell. Me," Shepard prodded again.

The Turian didn't budge, still shaking.

Shepard decided to use reason. "Open your eyes. There's a gun in your face. That dream you had, the plan of what you were going to do with that money is gone. And you are going to die."

Shepard knocked the gun away from the Turian's impaled arm. He pulled the knife out of the wound and brought it close to Turian's face. The Turian yelped in pain, his eyes opened and then focused immediately on the blade, blue with Turian blood, his own blood.

"You will tell me. One way of another, the answer will come. You have no control over whether it happens or not. The only thing you can control is how much gets cut off of you before you do," Shepard explained.

"N-N-No, I won't tell you," the Turian still resisted.

Shepard smiled evilly. "Ok" he said as he slipped the blade behind the Turian's right mandible and sliced upward, cutting it off completely.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-mphphph" the Turian screamed until Shepard plugged the gun back into his mouth.

"Sshhhh, don't feel bad, you'll get through this right? Somehow you'll find a way to block out all the pain, block out the fact that you're going to die, the fact that you have no control in this situation. Somehow you'll get through this, right?" Shepard started to slip the blade to the other mandible, when the Turian started sputtering words.

"Tharen, tharen ired me. Tharen wath the one to gith me the money. He wanthed you dead for thome reason."

Shepard was confused. _Tharen? Who's that? _Then he looked at the stump, where the missing mandible was. He chuckled. _The poor guy can barely talk; he's got a lisp without his mandible._

"Alright, tell me everything you know."

* * *

The Turian had been helpful. He had given Shepard the information he wanted, about Saren, about the Geth, and about the shadow broker. _And ironically about Fist._ After Shepard was finished, after he dug the knife deep into the Turian's throat and watched the life go out of his eyes, he walked out of Chora's Den to go find that C-Sec officer. _What was his name? Gary Volkswagen? _Shepard snapped his fingers trying to remember.

"Garrus Vakarian, C-Sec officer." A voice came from behind Shepard.

He turned and was faced with the very person he was going to look for. Officer Vakarian had his gun pointed at Shepard, and looked to have every intention of arresting him. Shepard put up his hands in a defensive posture, his hands still stained blue with Turian blood.

"Hey, take it easy, it's me remember? Shepard? Commander Blake Shepard, with the Alliance. You had that investigation where you had no evidence."

"That may be true, but you're charged with killing a man in cold blood. Ten minutes ago, a body was found in Chora's den, in one of the private rooms. An Asari said you were the only one in there. And now I caught you, 'blue-handed'. How about we go to the station and have a little talk?"

"We can talk right here, I'm no stranger to gun-point. Besides, did you ask how much the guy paid her?"

"Who, the Asari? Shepard, that's nasty," Garrus frowned.

"No, to bring me in for a private dance. And then leave, so he could kill me. He was working for Saren."

"Is that why you killed him?"

"No, I killed him because he was following me since I left the Presidium. And he was trying to kill me. And he was working for Saren."

"I believe you Shepard, but I need to take you in for an official statement. You'll have to come with me."

"You can't do that Garrus."

"Why not?"

"Because you can't see me." Shepard's tactical cloak kicked in, turning the commander completely invisible. He then ducked and rolled to his right, avoiding the shot Garrus fired instinctively at him. Shepard ran away, into a crowd, as his cloak wore off. Garrus watched him duck into an alley way, Garrus quickly following after him, but by the time Garrus got to it, Shepard was gone.

* * *

**To Airam, my favorite girl on the Citadel**


	5. Chapter 5: Vigilante Veteran

**Bill Here! This chapter seals the deal with recruiting Garrus and Wrex. There is quite a bit of action, a lot people getting shot (by Garrus) and some romance to ease the readers that just can't take high intensity writing. Ashley and Kaidan kind of hook up, but not completely; it's complicated, at least Kaidan thinks so! More of Shepard being badass, or just messing with people like usual. Next chapter Tali will make an appearance, letting in the actual romance for this story. Leave a review if you liked the chapter, or even if you didn't. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Ashley loved her time at Flux so far. She had finally gotten off Eden Prime. Though beautiful, Eden Prime was lacking in notoriety and Ashley was tired of that place for more reasons than just boredom. She also liked the fact that there was alcohol at her present location, and the fact that she was in the company of a man who got cuter every time she took a sip of her drink. _And he was already cute to begin with, _thought Ashley. She shook her head, trying to get the dirty thoughts out of her mind. _No no no no, get those thoughts out your head, soldier. Alliance regulations clearly prohibit fraternization between crew mates. _The thought quickly disappeared, as Kaidan rose from his chair across from Ashley and stuck out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" asked Kaidan, slightly tipsy, but still charming to Ashley.

"Well, I usually don't accept dance offers from strangers, but this time I'll make an exception," Ashley said, taking his hand and rising from her seat to follow him to the dance floor.

When Kaidan and Ashley reached the dance floor, Kaidan took Ashley in his arms, his right hand supporting her waist, his left intertwined with the fingers of her right. He brought their bodies close together, leading her strongly, but gracefully. Ashley, on the other hand, had two left feet, and stepped on Kaidan's right almost immediately.

"Ohh, sorry Kaidan! I'm so sorry, I'm such a klutz!" Ashley said apologetically.

Kaidan braced himself against the pain, trying not make Ashley feel guilty, but also trying to not look like a wimp. "It's ok, let's try going slower. Follow my lead."

Both Kaidan and Ashley looked quite awkward, dancing formally in a group of party dancers. They danced slowly, Kaidan slowing his movements considerably to accommodate Ashley's. As she got the hang of it, they danced a little faster, and Ashley began to really enjoy herself. They spent hours on the dance floor, though it seemed longer to Ashley, she was lost in the movement and intimacy of it all.

Finally, when they stood tired on the dance floor, a smile on both of their faces, they walked back to their table and sat down, exhausted. Kaidan was the first to speak.

"Chief, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to check in."

"Me too, we should head back to the Normandy," Ashley said, unsure of the implications she was making.

"Yeah," said Kaidan, rising to give Ashley his hand. "May I walk you home, miss? You seem lonely and in need of an escort."

She nodded shyly_. He is the most charming man I ever encountered. _She took his hand and lifted, noticing Kaidan's forearm flex as he helped her up. _And to think I could've been stuck on Eden Prime, with those Neanderthals while guys like this ran around single._

Kaidan took her hand as they walked out of the club in the direction of the transit system. They got into the transit car and selected the destination of the docking bay where the Normandy was located. When they finally arrived; Kaidan discovered that Ashley had fallen asleep.

He sighed. _So close, almost got her home but she had to fall asleep. _He sighed again, knowing full well that he would have no problem sleeping with her if he and she both were drunk, but he could not morally will himself to take advantage of her when she was sleeping. He shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up.

"Chief, hey Chief, Ashley, wake up, it's time to go," he said, to no avail.

"Mmmm… Five more minutes Sarah, just give me breakfast in bed," Ashley mumbled sleepily.

Kaidan sighed, and then looked at her sleeping body. She was cute when she wasn't trying to act tough; her act was easy to see through once you got to know her. He smiled, remembering her getting angry at his teasing on the Citadel before Shepard and Anderson interrupted.

Kaidan stepped back into the transit car, putting his right hand behind her back and his left under her legs. He put his hips forward and under his upper body as he lifted Ashley up and out of the cab. He carried her all the way to the Normandy, ignoring Joker's comments on the appearance of the two and the implications that could be made, all the way to the sleeping pods, where Kaidan stopped.

He opened the glass door of the pod difficultly with one hand while still carrying Ashley. When he finally got it opened, he placed Ashley inside, adjusting her posture so that she would be comfortable. He was about to close the door, when he stopped.

Kaidan looked at Ashley's face, her eyes closed comfortably; her nose small, her hair down after she had undid her bun at Flux, her plump lips. _Her lips, _he thought, looking intimately at Ashley's face, leaning closer. He stopped, unsure of what his true intentions were. He settled on an idea, bringing a hand behind Ashley's head close while leaning his head closer. He placed a kiss on her forehead, then gently replaced her head against the back rest of the pod and closed the door. He then turned and climbed into a pod next to Ashley's, closed the door, and fell asleep.

Ashley's eyes opened, she looked out the glass door of her pod to Kaidan's, studying him. _Wow, I fall asleep and he carries me to bed and tucks me in, complete with a kiss on the forehead. _She rubbed the area on her forehead where his lips had touched and smiled warmly. _What a gentleman, _she thought as she drifted into sleep.

* * *

Shepard stopped, he needed to think. _What do I do now? Garrus has probably put my name into the system at C-Sec to arrest me on sight, not to mention they'll go to Anderson or the Normandy to find me. _Shepard looked around him suspiciously. _I need to find that merc, Wrex, and then bust into Chora's Den to get Fist to give me some information on Saren. But where could he be?_

Shepard's thought was interrupted by a scream, a cry from a woman, a human woman. _Where did that come from? It came from over here! _Shepard followed the sound of the noise into a building, a medical clinic, where a woman has being held at gunpoint by some thugs. Shepard saw a familiar face too; Garrus had his gun out as well, pointing it as the thugs, specifically at the one that held the woman by the throat with one hand and a gun against her temple with the other. Shepard crouched, to not be noticed as he tried to get an understanding of the situation.

"Let Dr. Michel go!" shouted Garrus.

"Not until you find Shepard and kill him," replied the Thug.

"I told you I'd never kill an innocent man just because you threaten me!" Garrus replied angrily.

_He's being threatened into finding me? No wondered he cared so much about that Turian creep. It wasn't C-Sec's agenda, it was Fist's._ Shepard's hands clenched. _I'm going to kill Fist, and Saren, and anyone else who would pull something like this._ Shepard forced himself to relax, hands unclenching_. Garrus needs help._ _He's out numbered. And if those thugs want Shepard, they'll get Shepard._

"Garrus, you know how this is going to happen. Dr. Michel will stay here, with us, until you go and find Shepard and kill him. And if you take too long to find him, well, we might get bored and want to see what the doctor looks like under all these clothes." The thug indicated to the doctor's legs, tracing his fingers under the fabric of her skirt, as his friends behind him laughed. Dr. Michel cried out and Garrus grimaced, enraged at what he saw.

Shepard smiled as he stood up from a crouch and stepped closer into view of the group.

"Finding me won't be necessary any more. Killing me? That's going to be the hard part," Shepard said.

The entire group turned and looked at Shepard, surprised at the appearance of the man in question.

"Speak of the devil and so shall he appear," Dr. Michel mumbled.

The thug turned, panicking as he pointed the gun between Shepard and Garrus. He decided on pointing the gun at Shepard, issuing a desperate command to Garrus.

"Kill him Garrus, or else the doctor gets it!" The thug said in a pleading voice rather than a threatening one.

"I've got a better idea," said Garrus as he raised his gun and shot the thug's shoulder. The thug yelled out in pain, dropping his gun and releasing Dr. Michel.

Shepard knew that would happen, turning on his cloak and running towards the thugs. He slid into the first thug, sending him flying backwards, then scooped up Dr. Michel in his arms and dived behind cover.

"Garrus! Now!" Shepard shouted as soon as he was out of firing range. He cradled Dr. Michel in his arms, protecting her with his body.

_Well I'll be damned, _thought Garrus. With his firing range clear and the thugs no longer protected by Dr. Michel, Garrus lit up the thugs with shots from his pistol. His accuracy was excellent, his precision was uncanny, he shot the thugs in the head, in the chest and on the arms that had guns clenched in them.

He killed them all, all except one.

It was the thug who had Dr. Michel at gun point.

_The thug that had threatened to rape her, _Garrus thought.

Garrus saved him for last. The thug clutched his shoulder in pain, kneeling on the ground, and looked around to see, to his horror, that all his comrades were dead. He turned to Garrus, who was approaching him with an evil look that made him scared for his very soul. His eyes were burning, burning with fiery hatred, which he planned to unleash upon this man.

"And what do you think I should do with you?" Garrus asked, sadistically.

The thug made a grab at his gun on the floor with his other arm. Garrus quickly shot him in that shoulder and the thug fell back, bleeding on the floor.

"Garrus I, It wasn't my idea, I swear, it was Fist, he's the one with the plan, he's the one…"

"Shut up," Garrus said as he shot the man in the head. The bullet went in directly in the middle of his forehead, the round exploding gore as it exited the back of his head.

Garrus was satisfied, turning to where Shepard cradled Dr. Michel.

"Dr. Michel, are you ok?" Garrus said, concerned.

Dr. Michel rose, smiling at Garrus. "Yes I'm fine, thanks to you and Shepard here."

"No sweat, I wasn't really digging the whole 'I'm going to rape the doctor if Garrus doesn't kill Shepard' vibe." Shepard said.

"Well, you have my thanks Shepard; you really helped me out back there. Now, where were we?" Garrus aimed his pistol at Shepard.

Shepard put his hands up, looking at Garrus in surprise. _This guy really has it out for me. _"Garrus, Fist set me up. He's threatening C-Sec officers to do his dirty work! And he's working for Saren. And Saren is using the Geth to wreak havoc on human colonies! He even killed Nihlus himself!"

"That may be true, but I need proof, Shepard, and until then I have to take you in," Garrus said, tightening his grip on his gun.

"Garrus, if you take me in, another C-Sec officer will try to kill me. If Fist has been threatening you, he's definitely been doing it to the C-Sec officers that are corrupt! Don't do this; we can take down Fist together, before anyone else gets hurt."

Garrus's face clenched, he was debating internally.

"That may be so, but justice must be served properly!" Garrus yelled in response.

"Sometimes justice isn't served pretty; sometimes you have to go outside the regulations to get the job done!" Shepard shouted back.

And at that moment, when the tension rose to the breaking point, when it looked as though Garrus would never back down from arresting Shepard, while Shepard refused to be arrested voluntarily, a shape moved in the corner of Garrus' eye. He tried to ignore it, but it moved again, and a noise accompanied it as well. Garrus turned and saw a man, one of the thugs, crawling out from behind some boxes he had been hiding behind. Garrus looked at the man attempting to escape unnoticed, as the man looked back, surprised, and tried to get up and run. Garrus stepped towards him and threw a kick, knocking him back down to the floor. The man grunted as Garrus grabbed him with one claw, lifting him up and slamming him against the wall.

"Tell me what you know, all of it." Garrus said, low and deadly.

* * *

The interrogation of the man was lucky; Garrus had been satisfied with getting the information from one of Fist's men and no longer had to arrest Shepard. They now agreed to team up and raid Chora's Den to kill Fist, and decided to go to the Normandy to plan their next move.

"Hey, thanks for letting Dr. Michel stay on the Normandy," said Garrus.

"Hey now, don't get too mushy on me Garrus," said Shepard. He put a hand on Garrus' shoulder, reassuringly. "She'll be safe here."

"And thanks for coming in at the right time, Shepard. You could've walked away, left me and Dr. Michel at the mercy of those," Garrus clenched his talons in anger, "thugs. I mean you should've stayed away; I was going to try arrest you even after you helped me."

"Well, I have a soft spot for justice, and pretty doctors. And you know what they say; in order to earn trust, it has to be given first."

Garrus smiled. "Hmm, you humans have interesting sayings."

"Yeah, we have interesting behaviors too. I risked my life to save you and Michel's because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't. That's just the way I am."

"It's weird, working at C-Sec; so many humans are criminals, corrupt, or just lazy. That doesn't mean I hate humans, but it just made me expect them to be like that."

"Well, you could say I'm an exception. Along with a certain **human** doctor, hmm?" Shepard leaned in with a grin and a wink.

Garrus turned away, embarrassed. "Dr. Michel is different; she's too nice for her own good."

"Hey, I'm not gonna judge," Shepard said, leaning back in his chair. They waited in the conference room. Shepard was expecting Ashley and Kaidan to walk into the door after he requested their presence. _More like asked, but I don't think they'd say no either way._

Right on time, the door opened revealing Ashley and Kaidan as they walked into the conference room. Shepard got up from his seat and made introductions.

"Garrus, this is Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko and Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. Kaidan, Ashley, this is C-Sec Officer Garrus Vakarian."

"Hello," said Kaidan tiredly.

"Good morning," said Garrus, seeing the dark circles around Kaidan's eyes. Ashley's eyes however weren't even circles, but small bruises; she was so tired as she refused to open her eyes.

"Mmm," Ashley groaned.

Shepard chuckled. "So, hard night of shore leave? You weren't kidding about the whole 'party till you drop' fiasco."

"Not so loud…" Ashley answered.

"Yeah, we had kind of a long night. It was fun, but damn is the hangover bad," Kaidan said.

"Alright, you and Ashley, go get ready for battle, we have a mission, and it's gonna be a doozy," said Shepard.

"We're leaving port? What about Captain Anderson?" asked Kaidan.

"No Kaidan, we're not leaving the Citadel; the mission takes place right here. And Anderson doesn't know about this mission, but he'll be happy once we've completed it."

"Whatever you say Commander, I'll get Ashley under a cold shower and get some supplements in her to wake her up," Kaidan said, leading Ashley out the door as she leaned on him for support.

"What are we going to do?" asked Garrus.

"Us? We're going to go find a certain Krogan I had the honor of meeting. He'll be a great asset to this mission's success." Shepard mused, he was enjoying how all the pieces were fitting together.

Garrus raised an eyebrow. "Really? Are we going to pay him?"

"In a way; he's already on a contract with the Shadow Broker to kill Fist, he just needs help getting that VIP door open," Shepard laughed. "In fact, we could do this mission with just the three of us, but it's nice to bring my teammates along for back up."

Garrus smiled. Shepard had a way of brightening one's perspective, even in a dim situation. Here Shepard was, laughing, when Saren, a Turian Spectre, Fist, a crime boss, Fist's men, and a large number of C-Sec officers who were corrupt or being blackmailed wanted to kill him. There was danger around every corner for this guy, yet he faced it, one by one, without fear, and even a little amusement.

"Now, if was Wrex, who would I be threatening right now?" Shepard asked himself.

"Wrex? You mean Urdnot Wrex?" asked Garrus.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Know him? He's been threatening Fist for days now. C-Sec has had a couple run-ins with him lately. He's probably there at the station," said Garrus.

"Really? But how will I get in there? Won't they recognize me?"

Garrus smiled. "Not in a C-Sec uniform, they won't."

* * *

"Ow! Is it supposed to be this tight?" Shepard complained.

"Stop squirming, just relax and let yourself fit into it," Garrus said.

"I don't supposed Turians understand the concept of crushed testicles, huh?" Shepard mused.

"Testicles? What are those? A human food?" Garrus asked with curiosity.

Shepard smiled. "They can be food, if you're into that sort of thing. Of course you'd be eating a male human's sex organ."

Garrus stopped and gave Shepard a disgusted look. "What? Ewww, Shepard that's nasty. Are humans into cannibalism like that? It's so… Krogan-ish."

Shepard laughed. "No, no one is a cannibal, and even if they were, a guy's testicles would be the last thing they'd want on their plate."

"Oh, well good, I'm glad we're on the same page in morality. I never know with you humans." Garrus resumed, now satisfied.

"Well you Turians are full of surprises yourself," Shepard retorted, "With those mandibles, and those things sticking out of the back of your knees? Weird. You know, I cut a Turian's mandible off today."

"Yeah, I know, I saw the body," said Garrus, without looking up.

"Oh really? I'm surprised Saren didn't take it as 'Classified Evidence'." Shepard added.

Both men smiled at each other.

"That was a pretty dirty trick," Garrus agreed.

"It was even worse when he tried to make me look like a traitor. You should've seen his face when I proved him a liar in front of the council." Shepard smiled at the memory. "Priceless."

"Ok, now how's that?" asked Garrus.

"Better. Now instead of being crushed, they're being firmly held in place."

"Is that ok?"

Shepard shrugged. "Yeah, I can deal with it for now. Just don't try to get me to run a marathon in this jump suit of a uniform."

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

Garrus and Shepard walked into the C-Sec station. The other officers gazed over the two, finding nothing suspicious, and looked away, uninterested. Garrus walked up to a fat man sitting behind a desk.

"Hey Martin, is Wrex here?" he asked the fat man.

"Yeah, he was brought in a couple of minutes ago. We don't have anything to charge him with, but you know, it helps to remind him what we can do."

"I bet he didn't like that," Garrus suggested

"He sent Harvey flying into a bulkhead. But he's in interrogation room 5 now. You can see him if you want."

"Thanks Martin." Garrus waved at the man as they walked past the desk down the hallway labeled "Interrogation area" and down to the fifth room. An officer was leaning next to glass, looking at Wrex through the one way mirror, when he noticed Garrus and turned.

"You wanted to talk to Wrex, Garrus?" the other officer asked

"If possible. You're not in the middle of anything, are you?" Garrus inquired

"Not really, just the basic 'stay away from Fist' deal. You can take over if you want; my lunch hour was ten minutes ago."

"Sure, go ahead and go to lunch; I'll take care of Wrex."

"Thanks," said the officer as he walked back down the hall out of the office.

"Let's go in," Garrus said to Shepard. They opened the door and walked in, saying nothing.

"What? Here to try and scare me? Don't waste your breath; Fist is going to be-"

Wrex was interrupted as Shepard stepped forward and slugged him across the face, taking Wrex completely by surprise. Shepard then grabbed Wrex by the collar and shouted.

"Who are you working for!?" Shepard shouted into Wrex's face.

Garrus was completely unaware of what was going on, scared for the wellbeing of Shepard, and a little of himself. Wrex was even more confused as he grabbed Shepard's arms and shoved him against the wall.

"You dirty little pyjak, I'm going to rip you to shreds,…Shepard?" Wrex asked in surprise.

Shepard smiled weakly; Wrex had slammed him quite hard. He coughed a bit as Wrex let go of his arms.

"Shepard, what the hell are you doing?" Garrus asked.

Shepard stood up, recovered, and explained himself. "Oh, I just wanted to mess with Wrex here. I guessed that no one here would have the balls to punch Wrex in the face, nor the reason to, so I knew Wrex wouldn't see it coming. So I thought 'what better way to remind him of who I am, than with violence?'"

Wrex laughed, quite amused by Shepard. "You got quad Shepard, and lots of it!"

"So you just punched Wrex in the face to mess with him? Is this a human thing?" asked Garrus.

"Of course the Turian doesn't get it," Wrex sneered. "Who are you anyway?"

"Wrex, this is Garrus Vakarian, C-sec officer. Garrus, this is Urdnot Wrex, Mercenary."

Wrex and Garrus looked at each other in disgust. Shepard frowned; he was not expecting them to not like each other.

"Why have you brought this, Turian, before me, Shepard?" Wrex spat out the word "Turian" like a bad tasting piece of food.

"Not that I wanted to work with a dirty Krogan Merc like you anyway," replied Garrus.

"You Turians are all the same, with your tight ass rules and regulations, you probably have get a license to take a shit," Wrex said.

"And you Krogans are always going into buildings, mindlessly blasting everything in sight, and you have a skull thick enough to wonder why the Genophage was invented." Garrus said bitterly.

Wrex pushed the table out of the way and looked as if he was going to charge Garrus, when Shepard stepped in between them.

"Hey now! Stop thinking about how different you are and think about what you have in common," Shepard pleaded.

Both Garrus and Wrex looked at Shepard, confused.

"You both want Fist dead," Shepard suggested.

Both Wrex and Garrus looked back at each other. Wrex spoke first, "Well, if I get to kill Fist, I'll work with a Turian."

"Alright, if Fist gets taken out, I don't mind working with a Krogan Merc," Garrus said reluctantly.

"Well alright, now shake hands," Shepard said.

They both looked at Shepard in disapproval. "Or not, your choice," said Shepard, shrinking in his stance. "Well then, let's head back to the Normandy to figure out our plan of attack."

* * *

Kaidan didn't know what to think. He and Ashley had such a good time together last night, but he just felt awkward when he thought about how to bring it up. He felt that if he did, Ashley would think he thought it meant more to him than it really did, and that maybe Ashley didn't think of it as much as he did. He clutched his head in pain. _I don't know what hurts worse; the hangover, the migraine, or my brain trying to understand this situation. _Kaidan splashed water on his face, the cold liquid soothing his aching head. _Friends go to clubs and dance with each other, right? _Kaidan sighed. _Maybe she doesn't think it was anything at all. _

Meanwhile, Ashley smiled, reminiscing about the events of last night. _Kaidan is such a gentleman; he hasn't said a word about last night at all!_


	6. Chapter 6: Happy Hour at Chora's Den

**Bill Here! I got the flu last week, and I just couldn't seem to get to writing I wrote the meeting between Tali and Shepard, but I just didn't like it so I rewrote it. But now that everything is rewritten, I like how it progressed. Chora's Den gets raided in this chapter, Fist gets his, and we meet Tali! Yes this is a ShepTali fanfic, and yes it's going to be a good one. Leave a review and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"All right, everybody got their part?" asked Shepard.

The five nodded in unison. They sat in a circle, hologram in the middle showing a layout of Chora's Den, huddled together as Shepard went over the plan.

"Alright then; Kaidan, Ashley, what's your job?" asked Shepard.

"Hang back and look inconspicuous until the shooting starts-" Kaidan began.

"And then take out anyone who feels like joining the shootout against us," Ashley said with a grin. _Finally, I get to kick some serious alien butt._

"Good. Wrex?"

"I'm going to get in that little pyjak of a bouncer's face," answered Wrex.

"Good, and Garrus?"

"I'm going to walk in the bar last, and attempt to arrest Wrex. In the commotion, you and Wrex will take out the bouncers and guards while I hack the door. The three of us will then go on through to Fist's office and take him out," Garrus said carefully, reciting each detail from memory.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Now remember the order in which we arrive; Ashley and Kaidan will get there first and sit at a table, looking like off duty Alliance soldiers, I'll get there next after about half an hour and do the same, but won't take notice of them at all, then Wrex will arrive another half hour, start trouble and Garrus will come in, tricking the bouncers into thinking that they have Wrex outnumbered. The key to this operation is timing. Got it?"

The grouped nodded again in unison.

"Good, let's saddle up and get it done."

* * *

Shepard sat at a table in a dingy corner of Chora's Den. _Heh, a dingy corner of a dingy corner. _He sat drinking a glass of whisky, human whisky, just like last time. _Thankfully the bartender is different this time. Unless of course he changed his face paint for some reason? Do Turians ever do that? _

Across the bar, sat Ashley and Kaidan, chatting it up and acting very close. _Did something happen to them last night? _Shepard scratched his chin in thought at the implication of what might've happened. _That's a large possibility. _Shepard smiled. _Looks like I have a pair of love birds on my crew._

He waited, relaxing his posture as much as possible, but resisting the urge to drink. He didn't want anything to impair his judgment, or his aim. _I'd hate to get a shot at the back of Fist's head and miss. _

He chuckled to himself as Wrex walked into Chora's Den, in all his blood red armor, his enormous size, and his unmistakably lethal aura of pure murderous intent. He walked in and turned, heading straight for the door to Fist's office. The bouncers at the entrance didn't even have time to try to stop him, deciding to follow him at a distance; even his back projected malice.

As he reached the door, the same Krogan bouncer from the first time stopped him with an arm.

"What are you doing here Wrex? I told you to get lost!" said the bouncer.

"And I told you that I'd kill Fist. That's exactly what I'll do. I'm gonna make his head into a chew toy," Wrex said cruelly.

The two Krogan stared angrily at each other; the fight between them was inevitable. But then, before they both drew their weapons, Garrus ran into the bar, pistol drawn.

"Wrex! I told you not to go after Fist! You're under arrest!" Garrus yelled.

Wrex turned to face Garrus, forgetting completely about the Krogan bouncer. "I don't take orders from stinking Turians, nor do I let my quarry go free. Fist will be mine, and anyone caught in my way will be dead," Wrex growled as he drew his shotgun.

The bouncers relaxed slightly, their drawn weapons lowered. _Perfect, _thought Shepard.

Garrus and Wrex stared at each other intently. Garrus nodded slightly.

Then all hell broke loose.

Garrus shifted his aim from Wrex to the bouncers and began tearing them down with his pistol. Wrex spun around and fired a slug into the Krogan bouncer at point blank range, the bouncer taking it in the gut with a grunt.

Shepard kicked his table over and shot a couple of rounds into the roof. _Just to make sure all the strippers get out ok. _Then whipped out his shotgun and rushed the remaining guards.

"Garrus! Door!" Shepard shouted, as he decapitated a guard a blast of his shotgun.

"I'm on it!" Garrus replied, running quickly to the door and working hurriedly on his Omni tool.

"Wrex, protect Garrus' back!" Shepard shouted over the screams and gunfire.

"Hang on!" replied Wrex. He head butted the dazed Krogan bouncer. The bouncer fell back to the ground, as Wrex shoved his shotgun into his mouth. "Eat this, Pyjak." He fired, and with it, an explosion of orange goo flew everywhere. "Ok Shepard, I'm on it!" Wrex ran over the Garrus and turned, putting his back to Garrus, protectively.

"Just had to get that on bouncer, huh?" Shepard asked.

"He really ran me the wrong way," Wrex replied.

"I get it," Shepard said with a grin.

The two laughed as the shooting died down, they now watched as the remaining bouncers were filled with holes by Ashley or thrown across the room by a blast from Kaidan. Most of the Patrons of Chora's Den had run out in the initial shooting, which Shepard was glad for; he didn't need anyone getting caught in the crossfire between him and Fist, and certainly not anyone just looking for a quiet drink or wanting to see some Asari strippers dance. _If wanting a drink and getting a lap dance is wrong, I don't want to be right._

"Ok, the door is open!" Garrus yelled back.

The two turned and stepped forward, only to roll out of the way, Wrex grabbing Garrus by the collar, pulling him to safety as two automated turrets filled the door's entrance with gun fire. The three stood leaning against the walls next to the door.

"You owe me one," Wrex said to Garrus.

"Well maybe I can buy you a drink after Fist is dead," Garrus answered with a smile.

Shepard unhinged a grenade from his chest, leaned out and threw it quickly between the two turrets before ducking back behind the wall, a trail of gunfire shooting past the doorway as it missed him. An explosion followed, and Shepard leaned out for another look, seeing the turrets destroyed, signaled Wrex and Garrus to follow him as he marched further into Fist's office.

The reached another locked door, which Garrus hacked faster than the first. As the door opened, the three took cover, wary of anymore turrets that might be installed.

Shepard peaked out, and instead of faceless, gun toting robots, he saw a pair of scared faces hiding behind storage containers. He stepped out from cover.

"D-d-d-d-don't come any closer! I'll-I'll shoot you!" said one voice.

_Youthful ignorance, nostalgic but depressing. _Shepard sighed. "No you won't."

"What?" squeaked the voice, "of course I will!"

"Tell me kid, how many times have you fired that weapon?" asked Shepard.

"Lots," squeaked the voice.

"How much armor are you wearing?"

"Enough," the voice was quieter now.

"And last but not least, how many people have you killed?"

"…None," the voice answered, guiltily.

"Come out from there kid, let's talk," said Shepard.

Two boys came out from behind the boxes. Their clothes indicated that they were maintenance workers, and by their faces Shepard knew that they were young. Too young for anything like this. Wrex and Garrus also came out from cover.

"How old are you boys?" asked Shepard.

"Seventeen, eighteen in three months," said one boy.

"Eighteen in one month," said the other.

"Seventeen and already so reckless with your lives? I bet you two are excited about becoming eighteen, right? Looking forward to becoming a man?" Shepard said.

The two boys nodded quietly.

"Well then, if you ever want to see your eighteenth birthday, you'll drop your guns and get out of here as fast as possible," Shepard suggested.

"But what about Fist-?" asked one boy.

Shepard put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Son, Fist's guards, his bouncers, they're all dead outside. His automated guns are blown to pieces. He's not gonna expect two underage maintenance workers to protect him."

"Especially if he's dead," added Wrex.

Shepard nodded, and the two boys left out the door. Shepard watched them go, his conscience lifted slightly.

Shepard turned back, his expression hardening.

"Let's pay Fist a visit."

* * *

Kaidan and Ashley were cleaning up the scum in Chora's Den. There weren't many bouncers that weren't focused on Wrex, but there were a small number of patrons that decided that they would shoot back. Most of them lay dead in a pool of their own blood, or clutching their injuries behind bar tables. One poor man hung from the rafters of Chora's Den after Kaidan flung him up there. Kaidan claimed that it had been "accidental" with a smile, and Ashley had laughed at that.

_I don't think I've had this much fun during a firefight, _thought Ashley. _Maybe it's just the present company._ She looked over at Kaidan, glowing with blue energy, his pistol downing enemies like metal targets at a county fair. _First a club, then a firefight? He sure knows how to show a girl a good time.. _Of course, she knew that Shepard had brought them to the bar, and this made her wonder if they were ok in Fist's office. _Shouldn't take them that long to get the info out of him, should it. _She shouted over to Kaidan.

"Hey Kaidan! What do you think is taking Shepard so long?"

Kaidan raised his blue glowing hand, making a patron float in the air and exposing him from cover. "I don't know, but I bet Fist has something more behind that door, just in case someone did happen to open it."

"Right," answered Ashley as she filled the floating patron with holes with her assault rifle. _That's probably it, right?_

* * *

_Four turrets!? How much money did this guy extort? He has four turrets installed in his office, what is this guy getting raided every other weekend?_ Shepard thought as he hid behind cover. He removed two grenades from his bandoleer. He listened for the timing of the guns, and when he heard them stop momentarily, he rushed out, throwing the two grenades and diving into cover. _My shields took a little beating on that one, but it should be worth it. _

"Garrus, sabotage!" Shepard yelled.

"Which one?" asked Garrus.

"Any one of them you Turian pyjak!" Wrex yelled, firing at the turrets.

Garrus fiddled with his omnitool and the turrets stopped firing. The three came out of cover and Fist popped out to fire at them. Wrex's body glowed with blue energy as he threw Fist against the wall.

"Get those turrets offline, I'll have a talk with Fist," said Shepard as he walked up to Fist.

Fist lifted his gun again, only for Shepard to stomp on his wrist with a crack.

"Ahhhhh, my arm, you idiot, you broke my arm!" Fist wailed in pain.

Shepard slapped him, his armored gauntlet leaving a hexagonal pattern across Fist's face. "Shut up. I'm going to kill you anyway."

"W-w-w-what? Wait, no, d-d-don't kill me!"

Shepard raised an eyebrow as he pressed the barrel of his pistol against Fist's forehead, sweat visibly forming into droplets all over his face. "And why would I not do that?"

"Because! B-b-because, because I have information. Yeah information, on Saren. He hired me to kill you."

"Then you better start talking, and if this information is good enough, I won't kill you."

"Yeah ok, there was this Quarian. She said she had information on Saren. She wanted to give it to the Shadow Broker and came to me. B-but I don't work for him anymore, I w-work for Saren, so I told her that she could meet the Shadow Broker over by the Wards, behind the m-markets. S-s-s-s-saren's men are waiting for her there. They're supposed to meet right now; you can catch them if you hurry."

"I don't know, I think you're lying. What do you think Garrus?" Shepard asked playfully.

"We should break his knees, just in case he tries to escape," Garrus said with a sneer.

"Wrex?"

"He looks like a rat to me," Wrex said plainly.

"I swear! I swear! I swear on mother's grave I'm telling the truth. Here! Here's a video of me talking to her!"

Fist brought up a video of a security camera. It showed Fist and the Quarian girl talking, and it confirmed the location of the meeting. Shepard was satisfied.

"All right, I'm done, Garrus, let's go," Shepard said, turning to leave.

"Does, does that mean I can go?" Fist asked hopefully.

Shepard turned back to Fist, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know about that Fist, that's up to Wrex here. You see, he's been really wanting to kill you for a long time, and I promised him that much."

"But, but you said you would let me go…" Fist protested weakily.

"I said that I wouldn't kill you. I never said I would save you. Don't act like this wasn't coming Fist, this is what happens when you screw with the wrong people," Shepard said with a sinister grin. He waved to Wrex and started to walk out of Fist's office.

"Well, it took a longer time than I thought it would, but it was worth the wait." Wrex stepped closer to Fist, eyeing his prey hungrily.

Before Wrex did anything, Shepard turned back around to say something. "Oh, and Wrex? Do me a favor: bite his head off."

Wrex smiled evilly. "Shepard, that's nasty, even for me."

Shepard looked at Fist's face; his skin was paper white, no longer did he clutch his arm in pain, nor did he try to reach for his gun, he just stared vacantly at Shepard. _That's justice, a dish best served cold. _He turned and left, and heard a blood curling scream cut off by a bony crunch.

Shepard and Garrus ran out of Fist's office back into the bar that was now littered with bodies. Ashley and Kaidan stood on their guard, breathing heavily.

"What the hell happened in here? Looks like the party got a little too crazy."

"There were a lot more guys with guns than we anticipated," Kaidan replied.

"Well you did a good job, now we got go find a Quarian girl before Saren's men kill her."

* * *

Tali'Zorah was scared. She had only been on her Pilgrimage for a short time, and already gun men, thugs, assassins, you name it, were coming after her. She was only one girl, and it was a big galaxy, so she couldn't understand how they kept finding her. Even when she hid in storage crates, sewer drains, and maintenance ducts, they somehow found where she was and smoked her out of hiding. If it wasn't for her training and the small amount of supplies she took with her from the Flotilla, she knew she would be dead. And her supplies were fast depleting.

_And it's all because of my damn curiosity! _Tali thought to herself. She thought about the data she had taken from a Geth trooper. She had heard rumors of Geth activity, intrigued, she went looking, curious to see if in fact there were Geth. When she arrived at the location that the rumor specified she discovered a group of Geth. Disabling a Geth unit once it was separated from the group and removing its memory core, she was able to obtain some information that shed quite a bit of light on the situation.

Apparently, a Turian Spectre named Saren was leading these Geth, using them as his henchmen. _He's doing it without any tampering with their systems, any outside modifications, or any software viruses. I have absolutely no idea how he's controlling these Geth, nor do I know how he keeps finding me. _This 'Saren' was especially ruthless; Tali had seen video recorded on the Geth's memory core of Saren killing soldiers, civilians, even prisoners who surrendered, and on one instance, another Turian that he knew. She thought that somehow, the significance of Saren killing that Turian was important, though she couldn't explain it. _What did Saren call that Turian? Nikle? Nepto? Nihlus? Well, it doesn't matter now. Once I get this info out of my hands and to the Shadow Broker, it won't matter to me._

Tali waited in a dark alley behind the Wards. She had come to the Citadel, believing it to be safe; however she had been sorely mistaken. After catching a stray bullet, coupled with Shredders rounds, and experiencing a suit rupture that used up almost all of her antibiotics, she was fed up.

_I hate this place, I hate these people, and I hate this data! _Tali thought, gripping the core in her pocket angrily. _I just need to trade it with the Shadow Broker for protection from Saren, and maybe some credits to buy supplies. Perhaps I could barter for something I can bring home, _she thought hopefully.

A sound snapped Tali back into reality. Her whole body tensed, as she backed into the shadows of the alley. She watched as three men walked into the alley, armed to the teeth. All three wore helmets, and were armed with assault rifles. _They're not the Shadow Broker! And why are they armed?_

The men looked around, one finding Tali and yelling.

"She's over there! Kill her!"

Tali panicked, reaching into one of her pockets and pulling out a small sphere, then throwing it at the men. It exploded into black smoke. She ran for it, moving her body as fast as she could, down another alley.

She heard a man yell behind her. "She went that way, get her! Find her at all costs!"

Hearing that, Tali ran for her life. She went down alleys and passageways, jumping over boxes and trash, ducking under low hanging rafters, maneuvering past whatever obstacle was in her way.

Tali ran, looking back behind her to see if the men were following her. They weren't and she turned back, only to slam into what felt like a metal bulkhead and fell to the ground.

"Well hey there, sewer rat! Didn't think you get away from us, did you?" the man spoke the words with poisonous tone. "If you got away, that'd be a problem; you'd screw up Saren's plan. We can't have that now can we?" He laughed, and then kicked her in the ribs.

It hurt worse than anything she had ever felt before. She heard her ribs crack and she knew they were broken immediately. That was, however, not her worst problem.

She reached into her pocket, but one of the men caught her hand, pulling it out and away from her. Her grabbed her other hand as well, his grip tightening past Tali's tolerance for pain. The VI in Tali's suit was going crazy, damage reports popping up on her mask as her vision blurred. She wanted to scream, but she wouldn't give them the pleasure.

"How should we kill her? If she would've met us like she was supposed to, we could've shot her, but she made us chase her through the Wards, so we should punish her more thoroughly."

"I've heard these sewer rats can't take the outside atmosphere. They get sick really easily." The man said this sentence and Tali's mind screamed out in terror.

"Oh really? Well what if we take off that suit of hers, see what's under it all?" the man said with a snicker as he reached his hand to Tali's helmet.

"How about if you let her go and walk away?" a voice came from nowhere.

All three men turned and looked in the direction of the voice. Tali's vision was getting fuzzier and fuzzier by the second, but she looked and saw a figure. He was tall, strong, and looked like an angel without wings. At first, Tali thought he was the Angel of Death, clad in pitch black armor, wielding a holy weapon of fire, but she realized he was real when the man released Tali's wrists and she fell to the floor on her knees.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"'Black Dog' Shepard. And that girl belongs to me." Shepard spoke the words sharply, his voice cold, and his face stoic.

The men looked at each other in confusion. The leader stepped forward. "She doesn't belong to you; she stole something from us, and from Spectre Saren Artetius. That makes her Saren's property, and this is Spectre business."

Shepard looked at the man, his stare hard and cold. "'Spectre business'? I don't see a Spectre anywhere. All I see is three thugs who are way in over their head. And I see a poor girl who needs help."

The leader laughed. "'Girl'? This ain't no girl. This is a Quarian rat!" He kicked her in the side again, so hard that Tali yelped in pain. "Quarians are dirty pickpockets, thieves, no good rats! They don't deserve to be able to walk the same streets we humans do."

Shepard walked forward, past the other two men, straight up to the leader, his eyes fixed upon him as he did. The leader was paralyzed, Shepard's gaze was so intense that he couldn't move, his feet anchored to where he stood. Shepard reached the leader, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close, never breaking eye contact. He said in low and almost inhumanly terrifying voice.

"I will save you for last. After I've killed your friends, after I've taken the girl to get treated, I will bind you. And I'll peel your skin off, slice by slice, taking my time to make sure you feel everything. And then when your skin is gone, and you are completely naked, I will reach into you and take your soul." Shepard said this to the man, and the man's face went white, the blood in his veins suddenly flushed out of him, his eyes completely devoid of anger, of hate, devoid of anything that wasn't pure terror. It wasn't what Shepard said, or how he said it, it was the look in Shepard's eyes that made the man fear everything about him. It was the look in Shepard's eyes that made the man believe that he could do anything he pleased, because of what horrors lay locked in Shepard's mind. He was so consumed with fear, that he didn't notice the fluid filling his cod piece, nor did he notice his friends lying on the floor, dead. He was so terrified that when he saw the pistol rising to point at his head, he smiled. Shepard fired the shot, and the man died with a whisper.

"Black Dog…" he said with a hole in his head, as he fell back into death.

Shepard looked at the dead man's face, inspecting the expression that was frozen on it. _He died smiling _Shepard thought, _probably due to the fact that I wasn't going to skin him alive. Only a few people die with smiles on their face. _Shepard thought deeply for a second, remembering all the smiles of the corpses he'd seen. He shuddered, shook it off, and got back to business.

Tali still lay on the floor, between consciousness and unconsciousness. That last kick to her ribs had caused so much pain she had nearly passed out, her suit's VI was working vigorously to keep her from losing consciousness with a concussion. She tasted blood, a strange metallic taste that she felt was very foreign to her, and lifted her hand to her facemask. The hand looked blurry to her eyes; in fact everything around her looked blurry and warped. She heard a noise and thought it was her own ear drums popping, when in fact someone was trying to speak to her.

"Miss? Miss! Are you ok?" asked Shepard.

"Wha-… who are you?" Tali asked weakly.

"Shepard, Commander Blake Shepard," Shepard said.

Tali smiled numbly. _Shepard, I like that name. Sounds warm, and safe. _Tali's eyes focused to stare at the face of her savior. She saw a nose, so far so good. She moved up to his eyes, gentle, sad, and currently very concerned. She followed the line intersecting his right eye up to his dark, warm looking hair, and then back down to his cheek where it ended. _What did the humans call a wound that had already closed? Oh right: a scar. _Her eyes looked from his scarred cheek to his mouth, which was moving very fast at the moment.

"What?" Tali asked.

"I said 'can you move?'" Shepard repeated.

"I think I can," said Tali, as Shepard carefully helped her up. Tali put weight on her left leg, and cringed in pain, suddenly awoken. "No, no, no, no, no, no, I can't walk, I can't walk," she quickly said. Shepard lifted her into his arms, gently, to Tali's surprise.

"Come on, let's get you back to the Normandy," said Shepard, as he jogged lightly in the direction of an alley that led out of the Wards. Tali didn't know what to think. _This guy wants to… save me? Why? Doesn't he know what I am? _She looked at him curiously.

"Where… what is the Normandy?" Tali asked, inquiring about her apparent destination.

Shepard smiled and turned to look at her in his arms. "My ship. It's nice there, you'll see," he said warmly.

Tali relaxed, comforted by Shepard's large arms and gentle grip. She rested her head against his shoulder, and somehow, through all the armor he was wearing, she could hear a steady beat, deep within him. She listened to it all the way back to the Normandy.

* * *

**Thanks to Airam, who supported me.**


	7. Chapter 7: Council Spectre

**Bill here! i was able to write in a new chapter, and this one really just has a bunch of dialogue in it, not really a lot of action going on. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue is very important and thoroughly entertaining, not to mention, pertinent to the story line. However, no one dies in this chapter, or gets shot, so it seems like a calm chapter to me. Write a review if you have the time, and as always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"How's she doing?" asked Shepard.

"Very well actually, with the right usage of medi-gel and antibiotics, she'll make a complete recovery in a couple of days. That suit of hers is surprisingly advanced technology. I suppose Quarians need their suits to be like that in order to survive, but it's still shocking to see such advanced medical ingenuity. They may be poor, but damn if they aren't resourceful." Chakwas gave her diagnosis to Shepard outside the Med Bay, to give Tali privacy. "It's good that you got to her when you did."

Shepard's shoulders relaxed, he was clearly emotionally invested in Tali's wellbeing. "If she had been hurt, if those ….men, had hurt her anymore, if they had taken off her mask…"

"Shh, you got to her in time," Chakwas grabbed Shepard's shoulder and neck motherly. "You're a good man and an excellent soldier, Blake. Remember that." Chakwas looked deeply into Shepard's eyes while she spoke, making sure to plant the words deep into his mind.

Shepard smiled. "Thanks, 'mom'. But yeah, I'm glad she's ok. It would've been terrible to find her… disposed of." He turned to leave, but looked back. "Thanks for taking care of her, even though she's not an Alliance soldier."

"What was I supposed to do? Leave the poor girl outside my office, bleeding internally, while I sit at my desk and drink brandy?" She winked at Shepard as he left.

Shepard walked from the Med Bay over to the mess hall, where most of the crew was loitering around. They saw Shepard walk up, and Garrus rose to his feet.

"How is she, Shepard?" he asked.

"She'll be fine; Chakwas said that her suit saved her. It was good that we got there in time though. And thanks for the back up, I kinda lost it back there," Shepard said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ashley stood up defiantly. "You didn't lose it all. That man kicked her when she was on the floor, and for what? For being a different race?"

"So you're sticking up for aliens now?" asked Kaidan.

"No one deserves to be treated like that, no one."

"I agree, Quarians have a bad rep, but I've seen one do something bad unless they did it for survival. I mean, everyone needs to eat," said Garrus.

"It was obvious that those men were up to no good. Saren's men are dirty thugs, and deserved what they got," said Kaidan.

"I don't know about that but…" Shepard began.

"Commander, those men were evil. Maybe not evil enough to destroy planets, but bad enough to torture a poor girl when they could've just shot her. They didn't have to do that, but they were going to anyway," Kaidan said with conviction.

"Yeah, plus it was great to see the look on the leader's face! Did you see that guy's face go white?" Ashley asked in excitement.

"Spirits, that was amazing! He was smiling so confidently before, and then Shepard stared him into submission. Didn't even use a gun, didn't even need one. I've never in all my years at C-Sec seen something like that," Garrus said.

"That was probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. That guy pissed himself. How did you even do that, Commander?" asked Kaidan.

"Oh, you know, when I see something like that happen in front of me, it lights up a fire. What I did just came naturally. That guy was lucky I didn't have time for him," Shepard replied.

Ashely snapped her fingers in realization, a gesture Garrus had a hard time understanding. "Oh yeah! Hey what ever happened with Fist?"

"Let's just say that Wrex had a field day, and leave it at that," answered Shepard.

"Where's Wrex anyway?" Garrus asked.

"He said he needed to go receive payment since his job was finished. I don't know if the Shadow Broker approved of him accepting aid in taking down Fist, but he might give us some info on Saren if we're lucky," Shepard answered.

"Would he give it to use free of charge?" asked Ashley.

"Well, it wouldn't really be free of charge; Saren and the Shadow Broker are enemies right now, so any way the Shadow Broker can take a stab at Saren would be considered. Maybe he'd give us aid in a pinch."

"Isn't the reason we rescued that Quarian girl because she had information?" asked Kaidan.

"Yeah, but every bit helps. We don't even know if she'll let us have the information."

"I'm pretty sure she'll let us peak at it a little, I mean you did save her life," Ashley included.

"It doesn't hurt to be polite," Shepard replied.

"That's funny Shepard. You, being polite. Maybe it's only to helpless alien girls?" Kaidan sneered.

"Yeah, I see that, you're totally into the whole 'damsel in distress' thing," Ashley said.

"What? No I'm not. You guys are crazy." Shepard shook off the accusation.

"Look, watch. That quarian girl is going to get better and ask Shepard to go on some crazy mission to save her family or something, and Shepard is going to totally go along with it," Kaidan prophesized.

"What? Guys, seriously, cut it out," Shepard said, displeased with the subject's focus being him.

"Ahh, look, look, he's turning red!" Ashley teased.

"Commander? Do you have a crush on our recent rescue?" Kaidan asked, in a juvenile voice.

At that moment, Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina walked to the mess hall. Anderson, overhearing the conversation's change of subject to Shepard's love life, decided to join in on all the fun.

"Well commander, tell us; do you fancy the Quarian girl?" He asked, as everyone in the room rose to salute him. He chuckled as Shepard, now put on the spot by a superior officer, hesitated. "What's the matter, have the courage to run into gun fire and explosions, yet lack it when asked a personal question about love?" he patted Shepard on the back.

"Well, if I fell for every girl that I saved, I'd be married, several times over," answered Shepard, quite smoothly to everyone's surprise. Shepard changed the subject back to Anderson. "Are we going back out on a mission, sir?"

"No, but I was wondering why, when you were told to go on shore leave, you decided to lead a raid on the most corrupted mob bar in the Citadel and kill one of the dirtiest thugs in the Wards. What's a matter commander, the missions I take you on not dangerous enough for you?" Anderson asked.

Shepard smirked. "I'm sorry sir, but after you told us to go on shore leave, one of Fist's men followed me. I happened to go into Chora's Den on coincidence, and there he tried to take my life. He wasn't successful. I found out that he was working for Fist, who in turn, was pulling jobs for Saren. I met Garrus here, who shared my personal dislike for Fist, along with a Krogan Mercenary named Wrex, who apparently worked for the Shadow Broker. Fist used to work for the Shadow Broker until he changed to over to Saren's side, something the Shadow Broker did not appreciate, apparently. It's all very complicated. Anyway, with Chief Williams, Lieutenant Alenko, Officer Vakarian, and the, um, Mercenary Wrex, we took over Chora's Den, and juiced Fist for information on Saren. He led us to a Quarian girl, who had possession of a Geth memory core containing some evidence on Saren we can use. She was under attack by the time we got to her, but she is planned to recover shortly."

Anderson listened to Shepard's report of the events thoughtfully. "Commander, you used Alliance military weapons, personnel, and equipment, to conduct a vigilante attack on a man whose crimes can't even be proven in court, all for a lead on some information that may or may not exist in a case that no longer concerns us?"

Shepard felt a bolt of nerves shoot through him, Anderson's tone of voice was different this time. Usually, Captain Anderson would let Shepard take whatever action he felt was necessary, trusting Shepard's training and instincts. _This time is different, he's taking these actions seriously, _Shepard thought.

"You are exactly the kind of man that will excel as a Spectre!" Anderson exclaimed.

Shepard stood aback, in fact, everyone stood aback. From Anderson's tone, the group thought that Shepard might be punished severely, court marshaled even. But now Anderson stood, beaming, apparently proud of Shepard.

"I knew you were the perfect candidate for the Spectre's! Even Nihlus could see it!"

"Yes, that may be true, but what are we going to tell the council?" asked Udina.

"We're going to tell them that one of their underground crime bosses is dead, along with the scum that works for him," replied Anderson.

"They won't take that. They'll make this evidence that Shepard is hot headed and dangerous," Udina replied.

"Perhaps I could provide some assistance?" asked a shy voice.

Tali stood, supported by Chakwas' shoulder, holding a small memory core out in one hand. "This, core, has brought me nothing but trouble since I got it. I would be thankful if you would take it off my hands for me."

Shepard walked over to Tali, grabbing the core gently with one hand and the hand that held it with the other. He held her hand in both of his, looking directly into her eyes. She blushed heavily, thankful for the obscurity of her mask on her face.

"Thank you, very much, miss?…" Shepard said, not actually knowing Tali's name.

"Tali, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. Y-you can just call me Tali for short, Shepard."

"I am honored, Tali. Thank you," Shepard nodded humbly. He smiled at her, and then indicated to the core. "What's on here? I mean, I know its evidence against Saren, but evidence of what exactly?"

"Well, mainly it's just vids of Saren ordering the Geth around, and a couple of vids of him killing some people," Tali responded plainly.

"Huh. Well I guess that pretty much pins him to the Geth. It's definitely a start," Shepard mused.

"Well it shows that the Council needs to launch a formal investigation into Saren's actions, maybe it can declassify some of his files," Garrus said hopefully.

"We can get to work on analyzing the data and see if anything comes up with the Eden Prime mission," Anderson suggested.

"Oh and one more thing, there was this one video, where Saren killed someone he knew," Tali included.

"What do you mean, 'someone he knew'? Like someone who he worked with?" Kaidan asked.

"I guess so. His name started with an 'n'. Necro, Nylon, Nicto,…"

"Nihlus?" the whole group asked in shocked unison.

"Yeah, that was it. You know him?" asked Tali.

Shepard smiled wide. "Know him? Girl, you just handed us Saren's head on a silver platter."

* * *

The Council was irritated. They had no time for such idle court trials. They understood that Saren had tried to frame Commander Shepard as a galactic criminal and a traitor, but they had no time for petty revenge from reckless humans, a race known for quick and often needless violence.

They were quite surprised when they watched a video clearly displaying Saren murdering Nihlus in cold blood. They were surprised in general to see a video of Nihlus alive prior to the events, considering the investigation into Saren's censorship of Eden Prime had gone sour; Saren had destroyed or corrupted everything in one way or another. He had done it in a legal way of course, and the council now believed that it had been a cover up; their perspective had changed dramatically from seeing Saren as a hero to seeing him as an intergalactic criminal. The council stood in awe of the implications that were now present in light of this new information. _Saren was always prone to taking rash action; that's what made him a good Spectre. He made hard decisions, and he did it well, but this was clearly unnecessary. This is treason. _

The Asari Councilor spoke, disbelief clearly audible in her voice.

"In light of this new evidence, I must ask that the Spectre Saren Artetius be stripped of his Spectre status."

"Agreed," the Salarian Councilor concurred dreamily.

The two councilors looked over to where the Turian Councilor stood. He stood still, mouth gaping, completely unable to respond. He began to try to speak, but out came only mindless babble. He then looked down, deep in thought.

"Councilor?" asked the Asari Councilor.

The Turian Councilor looked up, confused. He spoke again, this time in words that made sense.

"The evidence… the evidence is irrefutable. Saren must be stripped of his Spectre status and hunted down as a galactic criminal. The death of Nihlus must be avenged."

Shepard nodded in agreement.

"How exactly did you acquire this evidence, Shepard?" the Asari Councilor asked.

"Well, you know me, I sniffed around a bit here and there, and something was bound to come up," answered Shepard.

The Salarian Councilor's eyebrow rose. He asked skeptically, "You, 'sniffed around'? I don't understand, are humans capable of such a feat as smelling information?" he looked at the other councilors for input; the Turian shrugged his shoulders in a 'your guess is as good as mine' sort of gesture. The Asari Councilor understood Shepard, and intervened.

"Shepard means that he looked around for information," she said to the Salarian Councilor. "Please elaborate, Shepard."

"Well Councilors, after our trial, my teammates and I were presented with shore leave, however, I felt someone following behind me. I split up with my teammates and went into the alleys, to see how far the spy would follow."

"Was there in fact a person following you Shepard?" asked the Salarion Councilor.

Shepard nodded. "Yes, there was, and he knew quite a bit more information than I would think a regular hit man would have. Perhaps he was a chronic eavesdropper. Anyway, I went into Chora's Den, the shadiest place I could find in the Wards. I pretended to look like I was there to enjoy a drink and a watch an Asari dance. One of the dancers later approached me, asking me I was interested in a 'private dance'. I knew this was a trap, and played right into the hit man's hands, up until the part where he tried to sneak into the room and shoot me in the back of the head. Taking him by surprise, I 'motivated' him to divulge to me information that he would normally take to his grave. This information put me on to the need to raid Chora's Den, and talk to Fist, the local crime boss."

"Ah yes, Fist. He's well known around here, especially among C-sec. Please tell me you killed him," the Turian Councilor commented.

"Better. I told him that I was going to let him live if he gave me something on Saren. He did; a Quarian girl named Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was in possession of a Geth memory core, which contains the video you see in front of you as well as several other videos."

The Councilors looked at each other, clearly impressed.

"You mean there is even more evidence on here?" the Salarian Councilor asked.

"Indeed. There's quite a bit on there, I'm told. We haven't even finished analyzing it all yet. It should yield some important information on Saren."

"You said you told Fist you would let him live if he gave you information. Does that mean he's still alive?" asked the Turian Councilor.

Shepard smiled, shifting his weight from his heels to his toes, and back again. "Weeellll Councilor, to find the answer to that question, you're going to have to monitor the bowel movements of a certain Krogan Mercenary, Urdnot Wrex. You see, he was on contract to kill Fist, and I convinced him to collaborate with our agenda for the time being. My exact words to Fist were 'give me information on Saren, and I won't kill you', and by that logic, I was not the one to kill Fist. I did not, however, say anything on what I would let Wrex do."

The Turian Councilor smiled for the first time since watching Nihlus die on video. "Digesting in the gut of a Krogan; a fate befitting scum like Fist."

"My thoughts exactly, Councilor," Shepard agreed.

"I must say, Commander, you're gathering of evidence, recruitment of allies and execution of this vigilante assault and investigation has me impressed. I now see what Nihlus described when he gave us reports on you," the Asari Councilor complemented.

"The question now is, how will we apprehend the traitor Saren?" asked the Salarian Councilor.

"He would have seen this coming, at least made plans for it; he must be in the Terminus systems right now," the Turian Councilor commented. "Do we have any STG available that could take on a mission this dangerous?"

"None that could be trusted with a mission like this. Any Asari Commandos?"

"Most Matriarchs are burdened with other matters; any that might be free would be unable to complete such a tremendous task," answered the Asari Councilor.

"Sending a Fleet in would risk an all out war with the Terminus systems, something we cannot even think of doing. What we need is a small team of highly trained specialists, without a flag to fly under or anyone to answer to. What we need is another Spectre," stated the Turian Councilor.

"With the death of Nihlus and the criminalization of Saren, we are shorter on our already short supply of trustworthy Spectre's," the Salarian Councilor interjected.

"Indeed," said the Turian Councilor.

Shepard was confused; the Council seemed to go into an internal discussion without even addressing the Court properly. He supposed that, since this Court was closed to the public, an amount of informality and deregulation was allowable, but he didn't expect the Council, the ones that created the regulations, to not use them. He shrugged, thinking that his business was done, turned to walk out of the Court, when the Asari Councilor spoke to him.

"Commander Shepard, step forward."

The tone of voice the Councilor took was very stern and official. Shepard sensed what was going to happen and complied. He stepped forward to the front of the platform, looking up the three councilors that now looked directly upon him.

"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel," said the Asari Councilor

_You do not have fear, only caution._

"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file," said the Salarian Councilor.

_You do not have anger, only intention._

"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will," said the Asari Councilor.

_You do not have hunger, only bitterness._

"Spectres bear a great burden. They are the protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold," said the Turian Councilor.

_You do not quit. You do not stop. You do not slow down unless it means you go harder. You are the elite, enduring to ends known by no other man, scaling lengths impassable by no other person. You do not see the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, all you see is the prey in front of you. _

"The Council now names you, Blake Shepard, as a Council Spectre. Your first mission: the location and apprehension of the criminal, Saren Artetius, who can be brought to justice alive for a court trial, or killed at your discretion. You are now allowed all the freedoms and powers of a Council Spectre, all the resources you require and information you need will be provided to you to the best the Council has to offer. Your mission is of the upmost importance; you are not allowed to fail. Go now and complete your mission for the good of the galaxy."

_You are the wolf._

Shepard stood up straight, his left hand laid across his lower back, his right hand laid in a firm salute. His saluting fingers rested perfectly on his facial scar. The three councilors saw this position as foreign, but then understood that it was an expression of Shepard's fortitude. It showed that Shepard would not fail, even if it cost him his life. The three councilors nodded, Shepard finished the salute, turned and exited the court.

_I am the wolf, _thought Shepard.

"Hopefully Shepard will be able to solve this problem," the Asari Councilor said.

"The human is very strong willed and resourceful. He will go to great lengths in order to complete the mission, and great lengths are required," replied the Salarian Councilor.

"Indeed. Not just his will, but his instincts are sharp. To feel someone behind you, watching you, is not a skill you learn as a soldier. Only someone who has grown up in a place of constant danger, a jungle if you will, would be that conscience of his surroundings," said the Turian Councilor.

"He also has a tremendous track record in the Skylian Verge; the same place Saren did most of his work. He has faced great danger before, and still lives. We can only hope and pray now, as Shepard takes the reins of the situation," the Asari Councilor said.

"He has an alias, you know, a nickname, they call it. It's another name that Shepard is called, based on his behavior. They call him 'Black dog'. A dog is an animal originating from Earth, apparently subject to many myths and superstitions. On a whim, I had someone look into it for me," the Turian Councilor said.

"I had no idea you were interested in such things," the Salarian Councilor expressed mild shock.

"Well, when Shepard was accused of treason, he seemed so calm, like he had an ace up his sleeve. It turned out he did, but even then it wasn't completely obvious. He was very unshakable, despite idea of treason being suggested, he had a strength that was strangely, oh what's the word, impenetrable. It was like trying to get a reaction out of a wall, or a bulk head, for that matter. And that interested me; enough to have some do some research into his history. Turns out, he's quite famous among humans, and batarians, considering his victory over them in the Skylian Verge. But it's more than that, his childhood was spent as an orphan, in the slums on Earth, he grew up in a 'jungle'. His report during basic military training when he first applied for it was filled with violence. He was savage, unbeaten in hand to hand combat despite a lack of actual training, master with a fire arm of almost any kind, and an uncanny ability to attack someone in just the right way, at just the right time," the Turian Councilor expressed a great amount of interest in Shepard, as he explained various characteristics he possessed.

"Are you saying that he's a natural at being a soldier?" asked the Asari Councilor.

The Turian Councilor went on to explain. "I'm saying that these results, on Turian standards, are phenomenal. Except his notably uncanny inability to cooperate with others. Time and time again, this man showed evidence of an uncontrollable anger, which led him to be berated despite his talents. Then he was selected to train under a man, a certain Alliance military officer, David Anderson. At the time, he wasn't a Captain, but within a year, Shepard had been quenched of anger; he was disciplined, cooperative, and even helpful at times."

"Interesting, I wonder what methods Anderson used to discipline Shepard into such a focused soldier," the Salarian Councilor thought to himself out loud.

"Whatever was brimming with violence in Shepard, was now completely under control with Captain Anderson's personal training. From a crazed, feral creature came a soldier of immense discipline. After that, he began his training in the N7 program, a human special forces of a sort. It's called N7 due to the seven sections of training that are required," the Turian Councilor explained.

"Interesting. Those two are closer than we realize. It seems it was Shepard's destiny to succeed where Anderson failed," said the Asari Councilor.

"You refer to the time when Captain Anderson was reviewed to be the first human Spectre? Wasn't he assigned to shadow Saren for a time?" asked the Salarian Councilor.

"He was, and Saren failed him terribly. Said he was unable to make the hard decisions," replied the Turian Councilor.

"Very interesting indeed. Makes me wonder what the result of these affairs will yield. Such history, bad blood between these parties, it makes me wonder if couldn't have picked a better man for the job," the Asari Councilor mused.

"His Alias has several meanings as well. In some human cultures, black dogs are viewed as 'hellhounds', the servants of a 'devil', or evil lord of punishment. Other cultures see them only as servants of the lord of the afterlife, helping to take souls slain in great battlefields down below the surface to be judged based on their life's deeds," the Turian explained.

"So do the humans refer to these myths when they refer to Shepard as 'Black Dog'?" asked the Salarian Councilor.

"It's hard to say. The meaning is mainly literal, as in his appearance and mannerisms are likened to that of black dog, while his uncanny survivability on the battlefield hints at the mythology behind the name. Even his actions today, judging Fist and other criminals, were a parallel to his purpose to drag those wicked down to be judged," the Turian Councilor said, weighing both interpretations.

"You have a point, perhaps this alias signifies more than just appearance or mannerisms. In any case, Shepard is an individual well worthy of prestige and observation," the Asari Councilor concurred.

"Agreed," said the Salarian and Turian Councilors.

The three councilors watched in thoughtful silence as Shepard and company walk out of the courtroom and into the presidium.

* * *

**To Airam, since you decided to stick around.**


	8. Chapter 8: The Torch is Passed

**Bill here! This chapter is the longest so far, took a while to write and review, but it is very worth it. This chapter we see more depth our characters, as they prepare to go on Shepard's mission. Garrus quits C-Sec, Wrex talks to the Shadow Broker, Anderson stays behind, Shepard gets the Normandy, Tali gets a Shepard history lesson, and Ashley gets a new gun. If you liked this chapter, give me a review, they really keep me going. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"So, Spectre huh?" Kaidan mused out loud.

"Yeah, it's about time I guess," answered Shepard softly, still in disbelief.

"You're the right man for the job, Shepard. I know you'll make me proud," Anderson stated confidently.

"And you'll give the image of humanity a much needed redefinition in the galaxy," Udina added.

"Yeah, that too," Anderson replied, rolling his eyes. _Man, this guy doesn't have anything else on his mind._

"The only problem is: I don't know where to start," Shepard thought aloud.

"Oh, I'll work on that. Meanwhile you and the crew take a little break. And this time, don't go bar hunting without at least giving me a heads up." Anderson smirked at Shepard.

"Indeed. The Captain and I will retire to my office; we still have work to do," Udina said dryly.

"Yes we do. I'll meet with you later, Shepard. Congratulations, by the way," Anderson shook Shepard's hand firmly with both hands, and then followed Udina into the various offices of the Presidium.

Shepard smiled. _He must be very proud. I'm sure he'll have much to talk to me about, later._ Shepard turned back to Ashley and Kaidan. "Alright! Let's try this again, this time without any creeps following me."

"Roger that, Commander," answered Ashley.

"Likewise," Kaidan added.

* * *

Tali opened her eyes slowly; her eyelids seemed to be weighed down by bulkheads as she came back into consciousness. She looked at her surroundings, seeing that she was in a medical room of some sort. _On a ship, _Tali noted, her brain slowly becoming more and more active. She sat up on what felt like a bed, a soft mattress yielding slightly to the shape of her hand as she supported herself. Her whole body felt heavy, her joints were stiff and sore, her head was fuzzy, and her vision was blurred for a moment until she focused on a humanoid form sitting across the room.

"Ah, you're up. I'm surprised that you've healed so quickly, considering the wounds you suffered. How do you feel?" Dr. Chakwas asked sipping a cup of tea momentarily.

"Tired. And sore. What happened?" Tali asked, her voice sounded as exhausted as she was.

Dr. Chakwas touched her omni tool; medical form popped up, scrolling down to what seemed to be a very long list. "Well, you suffered a large blow to the abdominal area, a couple of broken ribs that had to be reset, not to mention the numerous infections you had prior to your injuries. Your wrists and ankles took some considerable damage, from the bit of jostling you got, no doubt. That suit of yours did most of healing for you; I just maintained the systems and resupplied it with medi-gel and antibiotics. You had quite a bit of internal bleeding as well, but you were brought in before the worst. It's good you came in when you did."

"'Came in when I did'?" asked Tali.

"Yes, Shepard brought you in, remember?" Chakwas said, leaning closer, a streak of concern audible in her voice.

Tali's mind reeled at the word 'Shepard'. The past three days flashed before her eyes; her arrival on the Citadel, her run in with Saren's hit men, her meeting with Fist, running away from those men. _Those men… _Tali remembered the pain of that kick, the blood curling sound she heard when her ribs cracked. She remembered the grip on her wrists, like metal vices, the voices of the men so full of hate. Tali rubbed her wrists, the bones now set back into place, her fingers felt oddly stiff.

She remembered believing that she was going to die, killed by three unknown men working for a man who had promised her safety, who had lied to her face and then stabbed her in the back.

She remembered the men mentioned taking off her mask, which would have killed her in the most painful way she could imagine; an allergic reaction with the outside atmosphere. She remembered when she was younger; she had nightmares about being stripped of her protective suit, a common fear for most Quarians growing up. Tali breathed deeply, a shiver going down her spine.

_And then he appeared. _Tali gasped slightly, remembering the hazy sight of Shepard as he came to her rescue. His face had been obscured to her at first, between the antibiotics and the pain in her abdomen, Tali's eyes couldn't make out the look on his face, but she could see his body language.

He had stood straight, body tensed in a rage that was being tautly repressed. It had changed though, when Tali got kicked for the second time, Shepard's body language showed that he no longer kept his rage bottled up. Tali didn't see him move to the hit man that kicked her; he had just appeared in front of him, his body boiling with wrath. And his mouth was moving, whispering something to the hit man. Tali had seen the hit man's body language change dramatically, formerly taking an arrogant posture, and then it fell, his posture melting almost. He froze into place, not even noticing as Shepard's colleagues shot down the other hit men. The man had just stood there, anchored into place, perhaps stripped of the ability to even move. And Shepard had shot him in the head, point blank, and came to Tali's aid.

Tali blushed slightly, remembering what had happened next; Shepard had expressed such concern, such care and consideration for Tali's wellbeing, that Tali had believed she was already dead. _After all, what kind of human gives a Quarian this kind of treatment? s_he thought to herself. Tali remembered being helped to her feet, and when her foot had failed her, Shepard had lifted her in his arms, almost effortlessly, carrying her to his ship, to where she now laid. She now felt a bit fortunate that her ankle couldn't support her weight; the ride over to the Normandy had been so comfortable in Shepard's arms.

"Right, 'came in'. I remember now," Tali replied, now reminded of the specifics of her situation.

"Yes, Shepard was quite concerned about your health," Chakwas replied.

"Really? Shepard was concerned about me?" asked Tali incredulously.

Dr. Chakwas laughed. "He was pacing back and forth outside my office so much before I gave him the confirmation that you would be ok, I thought he'd grind a hole in the floor!"

Tali blushed deeply. _He did? Really? Keelah, I thought he just needed me for data on the Geth._

"Shepard is a bit of a softy for damsel in distress," Dr. Chakwas commented.

Tali let out a long sigh. It had been a while since she had time to relax, to feel completely safe. Being on the run for so long had taken its toll on Tali, and now she elected to sleep as much as she could, while she had the chance. She made a motion to lie back down in the bed, when the Med Bay doors opened.

"And how is my favorite doctor doing?" asked a rather energetic Shepard as he strode through the doors.

"Lovely," answered Dr. Chakwas, her face brightening at the sight of Shepard.

"Wonderful, and how is our patient doing?" Shepard asked, his gaze passing from Dr. Chakwas to a furiously blushing Tali.

"Well, she suffered some pretty significant wounds, however with the continued treatment and rest; she'll be as good as new," Dr. Chakwas.

"Really? How do you feel, Miss Zorah?" Shepard asked, his speech taking a formal tone.

Tali clutched the cover sheet of the bed, holding it up protectively to defend from Shepard's intense gaze. "I am, I am fine, thank you," she managed to stutter out. Tali was thankful that Shepard could not see the blushing inferno erupting on the surface of her face.

Shepard leaned back, satisfied with Tali's answer. "Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like. Dr. Chakwas will take care of you as long as you need medical care. You can come to me if you need anything else. And I do mean anything; that data you gave was priceless."

"Really? You thought it was that valuable?" Tali asked, her curiosity peaked.

"Yes I did. Now that we have evidence on Saren's connection to the Geth, along with the murder of Nihlus, he's been stripped of his Spectre status. My first mission is to track him down and apprehend him, dead or alive," answered Shepard, a hint of adventurous anticipation in his voice.

"Your first mission? Did you get promoted?" asked Dr. Chakwas.

Shepard smiled so widely, unable to contain his joy. "Yes, yes I did. The council decided that due to my vigilante shakedown and interrogation of Fist, along with my recruitment of local personnel, that I possessed the right attributes to serve as a Council Spectre!"

Dr. Chakwas shot up with excitement. "Oh, Shepard! Congratulations Come here you big soldier, you," she said, arms wrapping around Shepard's thick shoulders. She gave him a deep hug, which he returned.

Tali noted the moment of intimacy between Shepard and Dr. Chakwas. It reminded her of a young Quarian boy telling his mother about his acceptance as a crew mate on a prestigious ship in the Quarian Fleet. There was a mother-son feeling that was unmistakable between the two.

Dr. Chakwas and Shepard stopped hugging, and when they did, Tali took the chance to speak up.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Shepard," she said shyly.

"What do you mean 'Congratulations'? Without you, there wouldn't be any promotion. I would be court marshaled by now, or worse, in jail." Shepard stood proudly, laughing to himself. "This is all possible because of you, so instead of you congratulating me, Miss Zorah, I should be thanking you!"

"Umm, you're welcome?" Tali said, unsure how to respond.

"There we go. Now, take as much time as you need to rest. I owe you that much at least."

Shepard turned and waved as he left out the Med Bay door.

"That boy never ceases to surprise me. One minute he has the world trying to kill him, the next he's got the world supporting him from behind," Dr. Chakwas thought aloud.

Tali sighed; she was not used to Shepard's presence just yet.

"Umm, doctor?" asked Tali shyly.

"Yes, what is it dear?" Dr. Chakwas answered.

"Who exactly is Shepard?" Tali asked, a question she deeply wanted answered.

Dr. Chakwas leaned back into her chair, taking a moment to think deeply. "Well, he's the best soldier I've ever seen on an Alliance ship since Captain Anderson. Which makes sense, considering Shepard has been his protégé, so to speak, for a long time. You could say that, in a way, Anderson adopted him after Shepard joined the Alliance."

"So, Shepard has been a soldier for a long time?" asked Tali, intrigued.

"Well yes. He joined when he was eighteen, until then he lived in the slums back on Earth."

"Slums? How did his parents raise him in such an environment?" Tali was shocked that Shepard would be raised in such conditions. Tali had seen her share of dilapidated environments on the Flotilla, but to live in slums was a nightmare to her.

"They didn't. Shepard's parents died when he was a kid. They both served in the Alliance military. I'm told that they served on the same ship, a ship that was destroyed somewhere in the Terminus systems when he was twelve years old. The news was given to Shepard and the adoption services tried to find him a new home, but Shepard had run away. From what he reported about his past, he lived in the city slums as a vagrant for six years before he joined the Alliance, just like his parents."

"How did he live by himself when he was so young?" asked Tali.

"I'm not sure. But during military training, he showed a great amount of hostility. He was untouchable in combat, from what I hear, but couldn't take orders or work with other recruits on even a basic level. Something in Shepard made him overly hostile and completely paranoid, untrusting of his fellow man, thus unable to properly serve as an Alliance soldier." Dr. Chakwas lifted a nearby cup of tea to her mouth and a sip. Tali watched in anticipation, eager to hear the next part of the story.

"Well? What happened after that?" Tali asked trying to hurry Dr. Chakwas into drinking faster.

"Oh? Is my story that interesting? Or is it just the subject matter that peaks your interest?" Dr. Chakwas teased.

Even with the mask on, Tali couldn't help but to avoid the insightful eyes of Dr. Chakwas; a chord had indeed been struck. "I, I just want to know about the man who saved my life, that's all." she said bashfully.

Dr. Chakwas chuckled, knowingly. "Don't fret now, I'll fill you in on all the details. Now, after Shepard had finished basic training, he had been tossed here and there from post to post, his hostility kept getting him transferred due to all the complaints from other soldiers he served with. This continued until he was transferred to Elysium, a planet famous for the amount of Batarian pirates and mercenary attacks."

"And what happened? Was Shepard attacked?" Tali asked excitedly.

"Why yes, he was. He was stationed on the ground at the time, ordered to protect a group of civilians, during the Skylian Blitz, one of the biggest Batarian pirate attacks in history. Shepard was responsible for the survival of five hundred human civilians, one of the few soldiers to survive the assault, as well as driving the attack to a grinding halt. Batarian raiders were so preoccupied with overtaking Shepard's post, that they weren't able to destroy much else. Shepard held their forces at bay for three days, until reinforcements arrived and wiped the raiders out. He was later awarded the Star of Terra, a medal in recognition for his bravery and competence as a soldier."

"Then what happened?" Tali asked, unable to control her desire for the next part of the story.

"Well, he caught the eye of some of the top Alliance brass. Shepard was young, only twenty two and his skills were unquestionable, but his hostility was atrocious, leading many of higher ups to write him off as arrogant and unable to be trained properly. Captain Anderson, however, volunteered to instruct the young Shepard himself. Shepard was sent to train with Anderson for two years, and after two years Shepard returned to regular duty a changed man. His hostility was almost gone, save for when he was in combat, and he was friendly even. He later applied for specialized training as an Alliance Infiltrator and finished the N7 program in record timing. It was quite unprecedented."

Tali watched as Chakwas told her story, her eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity. She didn't realize how far forward she was leaning until Chakwas finished her story. "Keelah," said Tali, speechless. She had imagined some pretty fantastic things as Shepard's back story, but now that she was presented with the truth, she was quiet.

"Does that answer your question?" Dr. Chakwas asked.

Tali was so deep in thought that it took her a second to respond. "Yes, thank you. I haven't had much interaction with humans. Well, that's not true, but I haven't had any **good** interaction with humans before. I was always scared of them, most of the assassins sent after me were human, but I had no idea I would be saved by one. It's quite contradictory."

"Well, humans have an aspect of hypocrisy," Dr. Chakwas replied.

"If you would, could you answer some of my questions about humans?" Tali asked hopefully.

Dr. Chakwas leaned back in her chair. "Of course, ask away."

Tali wasn't sure what to ask first; she decided to ask about the thing in front of her that intrigued her the most. "How do you get your fur to be so long?"

Chakwas laughed, pinching a strand of her hair and twirling it. "It grows on its own. In fact, it must be cut quite often. Many humans cut their hair in a specific way, it's quite fun to experiment with various styles."

"Oh. It looks very pretty. I haven't seen many humans with such a silvery color of hair. Is it a rare trait?" Tali asked, quite interested in the strands of silver hair twirling in between the doctor's fingers.

"Well, it was blonde when I was younger." Dr. Chakwas grabbed a portrait on her desk and handed to Tali.

The portrait showed a picture of Dr. Chakwas as a young woman, standing next to a young man, an associate of Dr. Chakwas from her younger years.

Tali held the picture carefully, obviously it held quite a bit of sentimental value to Dr. Chakwas. "Oh my! Such a pretty golden color. You look so different as well."

"Yes well, age tends to do that. You see all these wrinkles and lines on my face? They show that I've been around for quite a long time," Dr. Chakwas pointed to the wrinkles under her eyes and on the side of her face for reference.

"Ohhhh, I understand now! I wasn't sure how humans looked as they aged. No wonder you seem much calmer than the other humans I've come into contact with," Tali deducted aloud as she handed the portrait back to Dr. Chakwas.

"That could be age, yes, but that also could be my regular disposition. I've been told I have an attitude that can soothe a man's soul," Dr. Chakwas said, looking at the picture with a nostalgic face.

"Well you've certainly soothed mine. A day ago, I wasn't sure where to go, what to do, or even how long I would live. But now, people have saved my life, gave me medical care, even paced in circles worrying about my health. It's quite soothing," said Tali, her posture very relaxed.

"Glad I could be of help," Dr. Chakwas replied, smiling.

"If you could, would you tell me more about human customs? I don't want to offend anyone on the ship if I can help it," Tali said, her hands coming up to rub against each other in a nervous fashion.

"Of course, but later. You need to get some rest," Dr. Chakwas placed a gentle hand on Tali's shoulder, easing her back into the bed. "When you wake up, I'll tell you everything about humans you would ever want to know."

"I'm not, I'm not even tired," Tali protested weakly, her body accepting the doctor's suggestion even as her mind tried to resist, falling back into the bed into a deep sleep.

* * *

Shepard didn't know what to think really. He wasn't just a Commander now; he was a full blown Spectre. He felt good enough to run a marathon with full gear, not that he had time.

Shepard stood in the elevator, waiting for it to reach the bottom floor. _We have spaceships that go faster than the speed of light, and this is the fastest speed an elevator can go?_

The elevator finally stopped moving, doors opening to reveal the engineering bay. Shepard promptly walked to the requisitions officer, with the full intention of spending all his hard earned money on new weapons and armor.

"What can I get with Spectre clearance?" Shepard asked, arrogantly.

The requisitions officer's jaw dropped at the implication made. "Well sir, you can buy anything here, but if you really want some fire power, you should go to the Spectre office and check out their merchandise," the officer advised.

"Oh really?" asked Shepard.

"Yes sir, last time I got the privilege to see the new line of sniper rifles. They were working on this new gun, called an M-98 Widow. Pretty powerful, but still in the prototype phase, though," the officer elaborated.

"Sounds fun. Well I guess it's worth the trip back over there then." Shepard sighed; he didn't like meaningless trips back and forth.

"You have a good day then, sir," answered the requisitions officer with a salute.

Shepard returned the salute. "Likewise. Keep me posted on the new types of weapons and armor. After all, I have to dress to impress, now that I'm a Spectre." Shepard walked away from the desk, towards the lockers where Ashley stood, fiddling with her assault rifle.

"Still messing around with that thing?" Shepard asked.

Ashley jumped, tools and parts scattering everywhere, as Ashley turned to Shepard with an angry face. "Jesus, Shepard, you scared the shit out of me!" Ashley gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "What's up, commander?"

"Oh, just going back to the Citadel to the Spectre office to check out some new weapons. Weapons so dangerous, they're classified." Shepard added that last part with a wink. "Where's Kaidan? I figured I'd bring my two cronies along for a little field trip."

"Cronies? We're cronies now? Is that a promotion?" Kaidan joined in the conversation, walking over to the two.

"You better believe it. You both were at the 'underling' rank before, and with hard work and dedication, you can one day become a 'henchmen'," Shepard said with a smile.

Ashley rolled her eyes as she fitted parts back onto her assault rifle. "I can't wait."

"So what are we doing this time, Shepard?" asked Kaidan.

"We are paying the official armory of Spectre's a visit, to go see what loot we can get before they revoke my status," Shepard answered jokingly.

"That's it? No vigilante raid? Man, if the intensity of the Normandy starts winding down, I'll have to start going on other missions," said Kaidan, as he sighed sarcastically.

"All in good time, Kaidan. Don't worry, I'll you two back, pinned to cover by enemy fire in no time," Shepard said.

"Oh good, the internal bleeding from getting hit by those Geth pulse rifles was starting to heal. Can't have your cronies without any bruises," Kaidan said with a shrug.

"Of course not. How could we be soldiers without being shot at almost every day?" Shepard commented.

Kaidan pointed at Shepard in confirmation. "Exactly. If we're given breaks long enough to remember what human interaction is, we might never get back to being soldiers."

Shepard grunted in agreement.

"You still not done with that assault rifle, Ash?" asked Kaidan, turning the conversation over to her.

"Hey, this weapon takes a lot of maintenance to maintain!" Ashley shouted at both men.

"I bet Spectre weapons don't." answered Kaidan, turning back to Shepard.

"Or at least they come with someone to do it for me, I'm a busy man," replied Shepard.

"I don't know, Shepard, that sounds like the duty of a certain crony that's experienced with that sort of thing," Kaidan added.

Kaidan ducked under the wrench that flew at his head. _She has deadly accuracy, no matter what ammo she's using, _he thought to himself.

"Maybe we should wait for her at the bridge, you how women are about their guns," Shepard suggested, now putting some distance between himself and the tool launching girl marine.

"What is that supposed to mean, commander?" asked Ashley, another wrench cocked in her arm, ready to throw at the two jokesters.

"It means you have five minutes to get that gun put back together and on your back before you get left behind," answered Shepard.

"Weren't you taught in basic training to put that thing together with a blindfold on or something, Ash?" asked Kaidan.

Shepard and Kaidan ducked under the various wrenches and tools that Ashley launched at the two, until they reached the elevator and took it all the way to the main deck.

"Women," Shepard said, shrugging his shoulders.

* * *

"Oh my god. This is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on in my entire life." Ashley stared intently at the Torrent Assault rifle that lay in front of her.

"I bet," Kaidan replied sarcastically.

Ashley turned to Shepard, staring directly into his eyes. "Commander, if you buy this rifle for me, I would do anything under your orders. If you say jump, I'll ask how high, if you say kiss a Turian, I'll ask which cheek." Ashley stated to Shepard, a fire burning in her eyes.

"What makes you think you'll get to kiss him on the cheek? Turians like it on the mouth too." Shepard answered slowly. He grabbed the gun, inspecting its sleek frame thoroughly, feeling the balance of the weapon, and admiring the design of it. He swiped his omni tool over it, an old cash register sound played, indicating that Shepard had purchased the rifle. He handed it to Ashley, pulling it away from her at the last second as she swiped at it with both hands.

"Ah, ah, ah," said Shepard, wagging his finger at her. "What do you say in return?"

"Oh god, thank you Shepard, the floor you walk is blessed by God himself, the air you breathe is made of silver, and the shit you flush down the toilet is made of gold," Ashley said.

"Not exactly the 'thank you' I was expecting, but definitely worth it," said Shepard, handing the gun to Ashley. _I better give her the rifle before she starts kissing my feet, _he thought.

Ashley took the gun in her hand and cradled it in her arms, much like a mother would do with her baby. "I'm never gonna let you go, you beautiful bundle of Jormangund Technology. Oh yes, you are so pretty, my little bundle of joy."

"Ok then. Kaidan, you want anything?" Shepard turned to Kaidan, content with ignoring Ashley for the period of time she would have to spend with that gun to get back to normal.

"Well I was looking at a pistol that seemed to suit my tastes…" Kaidan began, fiddling with a pistol in his hand.

Shepard scanned the pistol with his omni tool nonchalantly, purchasing it.

"Hey thanks Shepard, this really means a lot," Kaidan said, eyeing his pistol with satisfaction.

"No problem. My survival rate goes up the better equipped you guys are," replied Shepard without looking up.

"So is the Alliance covering the costs for all this, then?" asked Kaidan.

Shepard looked at Kaidan with a strange look on his face. "No," he stated plainly.

"The Council? A 'Spectre allowance' maybe?" Kaidan said in question.

"Nope," said Shepard, fiddling with a small contraption in his hands.

Kaidan was confused. "Then how are you paying for all this stuff?"

Shepard scanned the device in his hand, buying it as well. "Oh that's easy; I'm buying it with all the money I've saved."

Kaidan's eyes went wide. "What!? Commander I can't just sit here and take-"

Shepard put a hand on Kaidan's shoulder, cutting him off. "Don't worry about it; I've been saving for a long time. Call it a gift; for having my back."

"I still can't just accept-" Kaidan started.

"You can and you will. You know, in some human cultures, it is rude not to accept gifts. Now, to check out those sniper rifles," Shepard said with enthusiasm, walking over to the sniper rifle section of the office.

Kaidan squinted at Shepard, trying to see past the façade and into who Shepard really was. After a moment of attempting to peel off his various masks, Kaidan gave up and opted for babysitting Ashley; making sure she didn't shoot her tongue off trying to make out with that gun.

Shepard walked among the shelves of guns, the information on each gun projected out on a hologram for Shepard to see and compare each gun's stats. He settled on a Volkov model Sniper rifle, made by Rosenkov Materials.

He picked up the gun; it unfolded to its proper length as he felt the balance of it. He put his hand on the grip, his finger tracing over the trigger guard, his eye fitting familiarly onto the scope as he looked through it, seeing an image of the office's wall that was way too close for focus.

He closed his eyes, imagining himself in a dilapidated building, much like the ones he saw in the slums, sitting completely still, and aiming the gun out a crack wide enough to fit the barrel but narrow enough to cover the muzzle blast. He imagined a man, an enemy, sliding slowly on his belly, crawling across the urban zone. _Bang, _Shepard thought, mentally pulling the trigger of the rifle.

He took his eye out of the scope, gazing across the insignia that read 'Volkov' in stylish letters. _It feels good, the accuracy rating is adequate, and the cool time is quick enough for my purposes. _

He scanned the gun with his omni tool, the cash sound ringing out as the credits from Shepard's account transferred to the office. _Hopefully I can earn all that money back using this baby in battle.  
_

* * *

It was a good trip; Shepard had found a lot of guns built with latest and deadest technology available for reasonable prices, upgrading his arsenal considerably. He upgraded his armor as well, adding a couple more layers of shielding to himself, along with some nice gadgets he found interesting.

The first gadget he bought was a projector; it installed into his armor and projected a holographic image of himself to wherever it pointed. _I like it; it has a lot of practicality in battle, but also in a situation that might be too hot to be present in person. _The manual VI had explained that could project over two hundred meters away if need be, and had auditory functions as well, allowing him to carry out a conversation without actually being there, or perhaps drawing enemy fire with 'ghost' hologram. _A Spectre with a specter, _Shepard chuckled to himself at the thought.

The second gadget Shepard had found was an omni blade. Shepard carried a knife on him, but an omni blade could be used with much more effectiveness. It was longer, wider, and didn't need a hilt to be carried on his body. He would of course keep his combat knife, but this omni blade would prove to be more useful in battle. He looked at the settings on the program. _Standard blade, duel blades, chain saw, lance, _Shepard read some of the options of the list, impressed with the versatility the omni blade came with.

Shepard looked over at his two companions; Ashley still cradling her new assault rifle and Kaidan looking at his new pistol thoughtfully, both wearing the most expensive armor that Shepard could afford. _Good, they've gotten rid of those standard issue weapons and got some serious firepower. We're gonna need it. _Shepard grimaced slightly, not enough for either crew member to notice, but enough to match his thoughts. _If we're going after Saren, we're definitely __going to need to be prepared. Only the Lord knows what waits for us in the stars beyond.  
_

* * *

Garrus gathered all the things from his locker, placing them in a bag. He was cleaning out his locker and leaving C-Sec; he had finally gotten fed up with all the red tape and regulations. _When we were raiding Chora's Den, we didn't need a warrant, we didn't need permission, we just did it. I want more of that; I want to know what to do and just get it done, instead of waiting for someone to give me permission. _

Garrus shut the door to his locker, slinging the bag over his shoulder and began to walk out of the office. Eyes followed him as he walked, some sad, some scornful; the mixed feelings of his fellow officers further confirmed the inefficiency of the Citadel Security Force. He passed his boss' office as it slid open, as if waiting for him.

"Garrus! Come in here," said a voice that Garrus confirmed as his Chief.

"You can't convince me to stay, chief," Garrus said defiantly.

"I know," answered the voice, solemnly.

Garrus didn't know how to respond to that, he settled on walking into the office, bent on humoring his chief for old time's sake.

As he walked into the office, the man sitting behind the desk spoke. "Garrus, I know why you're leaving. You're fed up with the way things are run around here."

"I just can't work here anymore; the regs, the corruption, it's sickening," Garrus said, spitting each word out like drops of poison.

The chief pressed a button under his desk, closing the door to the office. "I know. I also know where you're going."

"Shepard is going off to find Saren and bring him to justice. He'll need back up, and that's exactly what I intend to be."

The chief sighed, the wrinkles on his face becoming even more visible on the Turian's face. "You know, I remember when your father worked here. He was such a straight laced guy. 'If you're not gonna do it right, don't do it at all', that's what he used to say. He always hated the Spectre's. He didn't even let you get near that Spectre training academy. And sometimes he was right. But this time, this time, it needs a little something extra. Justice needs to be served, even if the regulations need to be bent. I can't do that, I need to run C-Sec back here, but you, you can do it. I know you can; I believe in you." The chief reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a pistol. It was a metallic blue, and shined fiercely. He handed the pistol to Garrus. "This was your father's. He gave it to me when he retired; said that I could use it better than he could. It now goes to you."

Garrus grabbed the gun in from his hand slowly, feeling the weight of it. He looked at the insignia on the casing of it; it bore a picture of the Citadel, similar to the C-Sec logo. Underneath the insignia was a word, a name. Garrus read it out loud.

"Justice," he read aloud.

"He said in one way or another, the galaxy needed 'justice'. I wasn't sure if he actually meant justice, or if he was talking about the gun," the chief said, chuckling to himself.

Garrus looked at the gun thoughtfully, then back to the Chief. "Thanks, Chief, I won't forget this."

"Oh yes you will. If the Council finds out I just armed a vigilante, they could have my badge. Now get out of here and go kick some traitorous ex-Spectre ass."

"Right." Garrus holstered the pistol, holstered Justice, opened the door and walked out.

* * *

Wrex stood in the corner of the wall, speaking to someone on the holographic communicator on his omni tool.

"As you could see, the job is done; I killed Fist myself. Gnawed on his head a bit too, might be a bit tricky to identify the body."

A voice, inaudible to no one but Wrex, answered him. "**…**"

"I had to get help to open the door. Shepard found a guy to hack it, along with some other people for crowd control," Wrex said.

"**…**"

"Garrus Vakarian, he's a C-Sec officer. Not a bad shot, that one. For a Turian, anyway," Wrex recounted.

"**…**"

"He's going after Saren, and he's set to the Terminus systems soon," Wrex stated.

"**…**"

"Understood."

* * *

Shepard reached the Normandy with Ashley and Kaidan in tow, when he saw a familiar face.

"Garrus! What are you doing here? Checking up on me before I leave?" asked Shepard.

Garrus nodded to the bag slung over his shoulder. "Actually Shepard, I was hoping I might tag along for a while."

"Don't you have work to do at C-Sec?" Shepard asked.

Garrus avoided the question. "Let's just say that I'm on vacation for a while. I hope you don't mind me coming with you."

"I wouldn't mind that at all. A man can always use a trustworthy friend, which proves double for a soldier like me." Shepard grabbed Garrus' shoulder firmly. "Welcome aboard!"

A deep, malicious voice boomed behind Shepard and Garrus. "Oh, so the Turian pyjak is joining too? Has he finally grown some quad?" Wrex asked sarcastically. He stood leaning against a bulkhead, arms folded across his chest.

"I wouldn't want to let you grab all the spot light, especially when you get that big head of yours split open by some Geth," replied Garrus.

"Wrex. I thought you'd go and collect your bounty for killing Fist?" asked Shepard.

"I did. And now I'm here," Wrex answered.

"Care to elaborate there, buddy?" asked Shepard.

"Look, you have a mission to find Saren, but on the way to that, many battles will come up. You have a ship, you have a crew, and you have supplies. I'd like to join your crew and fight your battles for you. That is, if you can handle a Krogan Merc guarding your back," Wrex sneered.

"I don't think I can, but I think I can handle you. Welcome aboard, Wrex," answered Shepard.

Wrex squinted, his face full of calm anger. "What is that supposed to mean, Shepard?"

Shepard leaned in close to Wrex, his voice audible to only the two of them. "Come on, Wrex. You're not just a Krogan Merc; you're something else entirely. Whenever you want to tell what that something else is, my ears will be open. Until then, I'll play along."

Wrex grimaced, and then grinned at Shepard. "You're sharp, I'll give you that."

"Careful Wrex, you wouldn't want to lose your edge playing nice, now would you?" Shepard answered.

"No, I wouldn't," Wrex said, walking past Shepard and into the Normandy. The rest of the crew followed, as Shepard watched them go. _A Turian cop, a Krogan Merc, a human biotic, and a hardcore gun loving marine. Each with more depth to their character than they'd like to admit. Each with something to prove in their own respect. What a wonderful wolf pack I've gathered. I'm sure Anderson will be proud._

Shepard stood looking up at the ship, admiring the beauty of the Normandy. _Of all the ships I've served on, this is by far the most beautiful. _Shepard put a hand on the Normandy's hull, softly stroking the Alliance symbol painted on its side intimately. _You are the prettiest ship on the Citadel, _he thought to himself.

"Shepard," a voice spoke behind him.

Shepard turned and saw Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina standing behind him. Their faces were stern; they looked as though they wanted to discuss something very important.

"We need to talk," Anderson spoke softly.

* * *

Commander Shepard, Ambassador Udina, and Captain Anderson walked into the Comm room, the same room where Shepard was briefed on the Eden Prime mission. Anderson was acting strange, nostalgic almost, taking his time as he walked through the Normandy, tracing his fingers along the railings of the room. He seemed to be more attentive to the walls of the Normandy than the subject at hand. Udina spoke first.

"Shepard, after careful consideration between the Captain and I, we have decided that you require a, certain arrangement, in order for you to accomplish your mission. Most essential is, of course, your own ship."

Shepard's mood dropped at the implication, his facial features falling in horror. "Does, does that mean I have to leave the Normandy?" he asked half-heartedly.

"No," said Udina, "It means the Normandy is yours, Commander. Or should I say Spectre?"

Shepard was confused. "If I'm in command of the ship, what does that mean about?..." he didn't have the strength to finish the question.

"It means that I've been promoted, Shepard. It means that I will stay here on the Citadel to work as a consultant for the Alliance, and you will take control of the Normandy and her crew," Anderson stated, now taking control of the conversation.

"I can't take the Normandy from you, sir! It's not right!" Shepard objected.

"You're not taking the Normandy from me, son. You have a mission to fulfill, and you need a ship. Not just any ship, but one with the capabilities that the Normandy provides. You need this ship, Shepard," Anderson spoke the last sentence slowly.

"Indeed. This mission is more than just a manhunt for an ex-Spectre. It's a trial for humanity's place in the galaxy. You represent humanity now, Shepard, and you need the best frigate the Alliance can provide. That is the Normandy," Udina stated, taking a more concerned tone.

"I'll be here on the Citadel, helping you however I can. But this mission is yours, Shepard, and yours alone. You are in command now, not just because of your rank, but because you're the best man for the job."

Shepard looked at the floor, trying to process what had just happened. His head rose and spoke.

"I understand," he said slowly.

"Captain, I will return to my office. I'm sure you have many farewells to give to the crew. Good day," Udina said as he walked out the door.

Anderson put a hand on Shepard's shoulder. Shepard reacted, raising his arms around Anderson, gripping him in a tight bear hug. Anderson grunted, surprised, and then relaxed. Shepard released him after a second, keeping his hand still on Anderson's shoulder.

"I will miss you, Anderson," Shepard said.

"Me too. You're a good kid, Shepard; always rushing straight into danger, but somehow making the right calls. You remind me so much of when I was younger." He sighed, stepping away as he gazed around at the Comm room. When he spoke, a hint of sadness was in his voice.

"I never thought that this would happen. I never thought I would end my career behind a desk," Anderson said solemnly.

"You never wanted it to end that way?" Shepard asked.

"No, I never thought I'd live this long." Anderson chuckled, turning back to face Shepard, as he gave Anderson with a worried look.

"What am I going to do without you, Anderson? I don't know how command a ship, how lead people into battle, or how to make decisions that gamble people's lives."

Anderson laughed at Shepard's statement. "Of course you do, Shepard! You've been doing it for years, don't you realize it? You lead the people around you with such confidence, I'm surprised that you haven't been in command already. You've led people into enough battles successfully, you should be an Alliance General by now. And if you're not qualified to make decisions that involve people dying, then how did you come back from so Elysium with so many civilians still alive?"

"That was different; I didn't have room for failure. I couldn't fail, those people were counting on me."

"And now so is the crew of the Normandy," Anderson stated simply.

"But what if a situation comes up that could kill everyone on board? What am I supposed to do?" Shepard asked, his hands making a questioning gesture.

"You assess the situation; you make the call you think is best, Shepard," Anderson answered.

"But what if I don't see it, what if I make the wrong call?" Shepard asked Anderson, his eyes filled with fear at the thought of what could happen.

Anderson replied strongly, making sure to drill his words deep into Shepard's mind. "You won't, Shepard. Just remember what I've taught you; trust your instincts and never let your fear control you. You have everything you need."

Shepard let out a sigh of relief; somehow Anderson always knew how to calm him down.

"Alright, Anderson. I'll make you proud."

"That's my boy."

* * *

**To Airam, for being on the other side.**


	9. Chapter 9: Take Off Troubles

**Bill Here! New chapter coming in, mostly about the take of the Normandy, along with some character development here and there. Tali becomes a crew member. Just setting everything up for the missions that the Normandy goes on. Leave me a review if you liked the chapter, or if you didn't, tell me why. As always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"So when a human's mouth turns upward, they're happy?" asked Tali.

"Most likely, rarely does a human smile when they aren't," answer Chakwas.

"Wow, facial expressions tell a lot about how a person is feeling. I had no idea; on the Flotilla all communication as made with body language and tone of voice. This concept of analyzing facial features is completely new to me."

"We're all beginners at some point, dear," Dr. Chakwas commented.

Tali smiled, now overly sensitive of her own facial expressions. Dr. Chakwas reminded her of Aunty Raan, back on the Flotilla. _They both have that natural mothering instinct, although Dr. Chakwas has a more relaxed attitude._

"Try again, this time, remember to focus mainly on the eyes; they are the windows into a person's soul." Dr. Chakwas projected a screen of a person's face on it. She had found an ERTP, or Expression Recognization Training Program, designed to help train non-humans to recognize human facial expressions and communicate better with members of the human race. Each slide had a picture of a human on it expressing a specific emotion, and it would indicate whether user was correct in identifying the emotion expressed by presenting a picture of a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Dr. Chakwas was not sure why it used a reward system based off a human gesture, considering most if not all users of this program would not understand it, but she was amazed with the level of comprehension that was included into the program. She made a mental note to use it later; perhaps it would give her better insight into what people were thinking.

At that moment, the Med Bay's doors opened, and Shepard walked in. He lacked his previous vigor, which was notably missing to Tali and Dr. Chakwas, instead bearing a blank face.

"Disbelief or shock, maybe both," Tali guessed at Shepard's expression.

Dr. Chakwas blinked, slowly turning to confirm Tali's guess. "Correct, Tali, but let's take a break for a moment." She got up from her chair, walking up to Shepard and placing a pair of reassuring hands on both of his shoulders. "What's the matter, Blake?" She asked, clearly in 'mothering mode'.

"He gave it to me," answered Shepard in a monotone voice, his eyes blankly staring forward at the wall behind Chakwas.

"How about we get you to have a seat? Maybe you'd like some water? Or a drink?" Dr. Chakwas said, her tone filling with concern.

"Both please," Shepard said, slowly sitting down on a nearby stool.

"Ok," said Chakwas as she grabbed two glasses, filling one with clear water and the other with a sparkling liquid: the doctor's favorite Sherrice Ice Brandy. She handed him both glasses, as he began gulping down the glass of water. After emptying the glass and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he began to recount what happened.

"Anderson said that he had been promoted, that he would stay on the Citadel, and I would take the ship. He and Udina agreed that I needed the Normandy, and that humanity was counting on me. And he said to make him proud," Shepard said blankly.

Dr. Chakwas reached over to grab Shepard's hand. "It's ok, Blake. You'll be fine on your own without Captain Anderson. And he'll be right here on the Citadel whenever you need to see him."

"It's not that," he said plainly. "It's that, well, he gave me the Normandy. I command this ship now. Me. The crew is mine to command, the whole crew." Shepard blinked, and turned to Dr. Chakwas. "I have my own ship now," Shepard said, a giddy smile forming slowly on his lips.

"You have your own ship now," confirmed Dr. Chakwas, watching Shepard face as disbelief turned to joy.

"I have my own ship now!" Shepard shouted, leaping to his feet, careful not to spill his drink. He placed his drink down, and waved to Chakwas as he ran out the door. He stopped before exiting completely, turning to say one last thing. "I must go, my crew needs me," and with that Shepard was gone.

Tali and Dr. Chakwas were speechless. _Shepard's initial behavior suggested that he was in shock over Anderson leaving, but perhaps it was overshadowed by Shepard gaining the command of the Normandy, _Dr. Chakwas thought to herself.

"That boy is full of surprises," Dr. Chakwas mused.

"Keelah, you can say that again," answered Tali.

* * *

Shepard ran out of the Med Bay, the endless possibilities pouring into his mind. _My own ship, my own crew, my status as a Spectre, _he thought to himself, drool leaking out of the side of his mouth. He hustled past the mess hall, slowing his pace slightly as to not alert the crew members relaxing in it. Ashley, Garrus, and Kaidan got up to follow him, sensing urgency in his steps.

"What's up commander?" asked Kaidan.

"Yeah, you're walking the same way a murder does when leaves the scene of the crime on a security camera. You didn't just kill someone, did you?" asked Garrus suspiciously.

"No, but who has two thumbs and now has command of the Normandy?" The three crew members looked at each other and then back to Shepard, confused. Shepard pointed both thumbs towards himself and answered "This guy!"

"Wait, what?" asked Ashley, baffled.

"Is this some sort of human thing?" asked Garrus.

"What was that about the Normandy?" Kaidan desperately asked Shepard.

Shepard rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, Anderson and Udina said that I needed my own ship, and they both agreed that the Normandy would be the best ship for this mission. So Anderson decided he would work on the Citadel now, giving control of the ship to me. So, yeah, the Normandy is under my command now."

Both Ashley and Kaidan stood mouths gaping wide, eyes almost as wide as well.

Garrus looked at both his clawed thumbs, muttering something under his breath. "Wait so, the joke is about how you have thumbs? That doesn't make any sense," he mused aloud.

"What the hell?" Ashley finally said.

"I know," replied Shepard.

"So he just, just gave the Normandy to you? Without any consideration?..." Kaidan asked, almost to no one.

"I know," replied Shepard.

"Oh my god," Ashley stated.

"I know," replied Shepard.

"Just, just like that, here, the Normandy, all yours," Kaidan mumbled to himself.

"I know," replied Shepard, loving his crew members' reactions.

Navigator Pressley walked over, hailing Shepard with a salute. "Shepard, Anderson told me the news. I think you'll do a fine job commanding this ship. Congratulations on your promotion to Spectre, as well. It's about time those aliens give us a chance."

"I know," replied Shepard, loving the versatility of that statement in this conversation.

Garrus fiddled with thumbs, still completely oblivious to the joke's meaning. "I mean, of course you have thumbs, there must more to it than that…"

"It's too bad Anderson has to leave, though. He was the best Commanding Officer I've ever had the privilege to serve under. So far that is," Pressley nudged Shepard on the arm.

"Well, I'll try my best to keep her under control. I don't know about these crew mates of mine though!" Shepard laughed, as Ashley and Kaidan still stood in shock, oblivious to the conversation in occurring in front of them.

Pressley looked over at Ashley and Kaidan, both still asking their rhetorical questions to no one. Pressley's brow furrowed. "You might be right about that, Shepard. It might be a good idea to hire a shrink on this boat."

Shepard nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, and maybe a bartender too."

"Whelp, I've gotta get back to work, are we going anywhere any time soon, commander?" asked Pressley.

"Yes we are. We're leaving as soon as preparations are complete. Make sure to see to that, will you?" Shepard commanded.

"Will do, sir," Pressley added that last 'sir' fondly; he found it fitting to call Shepard. With that, Pressley walked back to the navigator's station, seeing to all of his duties.

"I still don't get the joke, Shepard. You humans have some weird jokes," Garrus complained.

Shepard turned. "Who has two thumbs and doesn't give a crap? This guy," Shepard pointed his thumbs inwardly to himself.

Garrus looked intently, as if the explanation of the joke was written somewhere on Shepard's thumbs. Shepard turned and walked away, leaving Garrus to ponder the meaning of the joke, and Kaidan and Ashley to continue to process the shift in command to Shepard. He headed to the cock pit, intending to pay a visit to a certain Alliance pilot.

As Shepard approached the cockpit, he noticed something odd about Joker. Firstly, there was a Fornax magazine laid over his face, and secondly, he was laid back way too far in his chair to be doing anything else but sleeping.

Shepard smiled mischievously, deciding to sneak up on him, carefully getting close to him until he was almost face to face.

"Wake up, Joker!" Shepard yelled.

Joker startled, scrambling like an octopus out of water. The magazine flew from his face, his arms failing around wildly. His hands finally found the sides of his chair, supporting him as he turned to Shepard.

"Commander! What the hell are you doing?! Waking me up like that! I could've broken a bone!" Joker yelled.

"Broken a bone? You're not that fragile, are you?" Shepard asked, curious.

"Well, with Vrolik's syndrome, my bones are as fragile as balsa wood!" Joker replied grimly.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know. It doesn't affect your piloting, does it?" Shepard asked, now feeling bad about scaring him.

"No, it doesn't affect my piloting," Joked answered with disdain. "If anything it makes me better at being a pilot."

"How's that?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because! Because when I was a kid, I had several factures in my legs and needed braces and crutches just walk. My mother wanted me to be a veterinarian, fix little animals, but little Jeffy had other ideas. You know what little Jeffy said? He walked up with his braces and his crutches and his limp, and he said 'I want to be a pilot. I wanna fly.' And when I could, joined the Alliance Navy and worked my butt off, so much that the instructors called me 'Joker' because I never smiled. But guess who was smiling at graduation. They all got their asses kicked by the sickly kid with the creaky little legs."

Joker spun his chair around to look Shepard in the eye. He spoke with conviction. "I'm not good. I'm not even great. I'm the best damn helmsman in the Alliance fleet."

Shepard crossed his arms across his chest, taking a more serious tone. "We aren't doing training simulations; we aren't doing drills, scoring points, or playing games. On this mission, we're going into the deep end, swimming with the sharks, and they play for keeps. Any mistake you make, any error you might overlook, could cost the Normandy and everyone aboard it their lives. Sometimes we'll have to run, sometimes we'll have to hide, and even sometimes we'll have to fight. You need to be the one that makes that decision, and ultimately, the one who gets us from mission to mission safely. So you might be right, you might be the best pilot in the Alliance, but I don't need the best pilot in the Alliance; I need the pilot that gets me out alive. Are you up to that, Joker?"

Joker straightened up as best as he could, a salute formed sternly with his arm. "With everything I am, sir!"

"Good, I wasn't sure how to get another pilot. We're getting ready for takeoff, make all the necessary arrangements," said Shepard, turning to walk out of the cockpit, and then shortly turned around.

"And Joker? When this is all done, and the mission is over, people will know who was on the Normandy. And they'll definitely know who was piloting it." Shepard winked, turning to go back out of the cockpit.

_Vrolik's Syndrome, eh? More like something to prove. He's confident, perhaps arrogant, but I think he can back it up. His service record was pretty decorated; you can't get those kinds of metals just by being disabled. He's put in some serious work to get where he is now. He's gone through hell. _He smiled to himself. _We all have.  
_

* * *

Wrex walked out of the elevator into the engineering bay. He looked around the large area, a space clearly for vehicles, such as the large armored truck against the wall. He looked at the truck; the stencil painted on the side read 'Mako', and noticed two legs sticking out of the bottom it. He walked closer, intrigued by the possibility of someone being crushed by the hulking mass of metal. As he approached, he recognized the legs as belonging to a Turian, and to his disappointment, they were not the legs of a crushed victim. _That Turian pyjak must be working on that truck. Shepard really seems to be trusting of aliens, a strange trait in a human. _Wrex scratched his chin, deep in thought. _Though he is pretty perceptive, isn't he? He's got good instincts, that Shepard. _

Wrex settled on walking over to a bench, leaning on the bulk head and crossing his arms, content with just waiting around for a while. _I wonder, who would win in a fight between me and Shepard?  
_

* * *

"What do you mean 'you need more time'?" Shepard asked angrily.

"Well, sir, we need to retrofit the mass effect generator in the drive core down before we take off. It got a bit loose during the shake down run on Eden Prime," answered Adams, tiredly.

"How long will that take?" Shepard asked, frustration building in his voice.  
"Eight hours, at the shortest," answered Adams.

Shepard grinded his teeth, hands clenching so hard his knuckles popped. He did not like being delayed; every second wasted was another second Saren could use. Saren could be killing innocent civilians, raiding planets, or destroying ships right now, while the Normandy still was in port. He liked Engineering Adams; he was dependable, reliable, calm, cool, collected, and he got the job done, but a delay this early in the mission was unacceptable. Shepard could see the circles under Adams' eyes, the tiredness in the way he talked, the way he moved, but Shepard needed the Normandy to be operational in at least four hours. _A failure before takeoff is unacceptable, taboo even._

"Is there any way to shorten that time?" Shepard asked through clenched teeth.

"In order to properly retrofit the generator, we have to power it down, or the Element zero will warp the generator, or worse, make it explode. Then after the generator is properly put into place, we need to get it going again, which takes time as well. Any shortcuts we try to take could potentially damage the engine severely. I'm sorry sir, but we have to do this right." Adams explained the problem, apologetic to Shepard's frustration.

Shepard sighed, releasing his anger, letting go of his grip. _There's no point in getting mad at the engineers, they only try to do their jobs. And there's no point in getting mad at the ship, it needs proper maintenance, and without it the mission is compromised_.

"Fine, get it done quickly, but get it done right. If we have to embark late, I want to embark in a ship running perfectly," Shepard said, bottling his anger up inside himself to be released later.

A small voice spoke behind him, which Shepard instantly found familiar.

"Umm, Captain, Perhaps I can be of assistance?" Tali said shyly.

Shepard turned around, his face draining of frustration on sight of her. "Miss Zorah, I thought you were recovering in the Med Bay?" he asked, curiously.

_Concern, _Tali guessed, her facial expression training was paying off. "Well I, my bones are healed, and the internal bleeding has stopped for the most part. I mean, a girl can only sleep for so long without feeling the need to fix something," Tali said, surprising herself at the level of conversation she was able to maintain with Shepard.

"Well, if you say you're alright, I suppose I can allow it. You have experience with mass effect engines, then?" Shepard asked politely.

"Yes, yes I do. On the Flotilla, all Quarians are trained how to fix and maintain the ships in the Fleet," Tali explained, proud of the statement she just made.

"Good enough for me." Shepard turned to Engineer Adams. "Adams? You need another set of hands?"

"Commander, at this point I'd start taking in walk-ins," Adams said plainly. The wrinkles on his face showed exhaustion, something that worried Shepard. _Will he be alright to work? For eight hours?_

"If you follow me this way, we can get started, miss?..." Adams asked.

"Tali, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," Tali said, following Engineer Adams to the Normandy's drive core.

Shepard smiled. _I'm glad she's ok. Tali reminds me so much of her. _With that he left the engineers to work, walking out of the engineering bay into vehicle housing. Seeing Garrus working on the Mako, he decided to pay him a visit. As he walked over, Garrus was periodically coming out from under the Mako, to which Shepard noticed he wasn't using a maintenance roller.

"Hey there, Garrus. Watcha doing?" asked Shepard.

"Oh nothing, just doing some maintenance on this here Mako. You don't mind if I fix it up, do you?" Garrus asked.

"Only if you break it. If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you using a roller?" Shepard asked.

"A roller? What's that?" asked Garrus, sliding back under the Mako with the new wrench he came out to get.

"It's a little cart on wheels that you lay on, so instead of crawling out from under a vehicle, you just roll out. It sort of saves time that you would use squirming in and out," Shepard explained.

Garrus stopped fiddling under the Mako. His head peeked out from under it. "Really?" he said, very intrigued. "That seems like a very good idea, actually. Do you have one of those I could use?"

Shepard reached over to the wall by the Mako, pulling a maintenance roller off the wall where it had previously been hung; handing it to Garrus is got out from under the Mako.

Garrus grabbed it gratefully, placing it on the ground and laying his back on it. He rolled back and forth, under the Mako and back out, testing it. "Yeah, this'll do nicely. Save my back a lot of pain. Thanks Shepard."

"No problem, after all, you're the one doing the maintenance," Shepard pointed out.

"Yeah but this is your ship and this is all your equipment. Plus, working on engines always calms me down. Brings me back to my army days. You sure are lenient on boundaries with aliens," Garrus said, rolling back under the Mako.

"Well, there's no sense in making an enemy I don't need to have. Besides, I figure if you were gonna try to kill me, you'd do it by now," Shepard said.

"I have tried to kill you. Twice, actually," Garrus pointed out.

"Yeah but that doesn't really count. Besides, you don't have the speed to draw your weapon faster than me," Shepard said with a chuckle.

Garrus laughed, a vibrating 'purring' sound that Turians made when they found something funny. "Oh really? That's an interesting theory, Shepard. Flawed, but interesting. I hope you realize I was in C-Sec, and before that I was one the best sharpshooter in the Turian Army. You might just have to eat those words."

"You're not the only one with a past, Garrus. I've been in the Alliance since I was eighteen, fought off the Skylian Blitz when I was twenty two, and now I'm a Council Spectre with his own Alliance super prototype ship," Shepard replied.

"A ship that the Turians help build, Shepard," Garrus chided.

"Mind if I join in on this pissing match?" asked Wrex, his voice a deep rumble.

"Howdy, Wrex," said Shepard.

"Shepard," answered Wrex.

"Is it Krogan story time already?" Garrus asked sarcastically.

"You better believe it. You younglings running around with your guns half cocked, shooting at whatever looks like an enemy. You'd do good to listen to what I have to tell you," Wrex lectured.

"And what is that exactly, Wrex?" Garrus asked, mockingly.

"When you're young, you try and join every fight you can. When you get older, you realize the best fights come to you," Wrex stated.

Garrus seemed impressed, and intrigued by the prospect of listening to Wrex's stories. He reached for a nearby stool, passing one to Wrex and Shepard as well.

"Alright Wrex, I'm listening," said Garrus as he sat down.

"About time. Let me start with a run in I had with fellow a mercenary named Aleena…"

* * *

"It's been a long time since I talked to you, sis," said a young girl on a vid com that Ashley held in front of her.

"Yeah, it has. How've you been without me, Sarah?" asked Ashley to her sister.

"Not bad. I haven't gotten out of the academy yet, but my training is going pretty good. But enough about me, what about you? I heard you got a new post!" asked Sarah excitedly.

Ashley sighed bashfully. "Yeah, I got put on this ship called the Normandy."

"The Normandy?!" Sarah said in shock.

"You've heard of it?" Ashley asked.

"Who hasn't? Who in the Alliance hasn't heard of the SR1 Normandy? The Prototype stealth drive, the Tantulus Drive Core, and the state of the art combat system. Commanded by Captain David Anderson, and don't forget about that XO,…" Sarah said eagerly.

Ashley sighed. _Here it comes,_ she thought to herself.

"Sooooo, did you meet him?" Sarah asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"Meet who?" Ashley asked, playing dumb to avoid the question.

"You know! Blake Shepard! The Black Dog. The man who held of the Skylian Blitz, earning the Star of Tera. He's XO of the Normandy. Don't play dumb," Sarah said.

"Yes I met him, once or twice," Ashley said bashfully.

"So did you sleep with him, or what?" Sarah asked bluntly.

"Sarah! You are too young to talk about such things!" Ashley scolded.

"Oh don't be a prude. I'm twenty years old. And you're avoiding the question, sis," Sarah replied nonchalantly.

"No, I did not sleep with him," Ashley answered reluctantly.

"Yet," Sarah corrected. "Well, what's he like? He looks so handsome on the vids and interviews!"

Ashley remembered the way Shepard had moved during their mission on Eden Prime, the way he had ripped through bouncers in Chora's Den, and the way he had locked onto that hit man on the Citadel. Her face blossomed into a crimson red at the memory.

"Well, he's like, he's kinda..." Ashley stuttered.

"Ohhh, so that's how he's like? I was joking when I said 'yet', but now I'm not sure. We might get a Shepard in the Williams family, huh?" Sarah teased.

Ashley blushed even more, not sure from embarrassment or anger. "Sarah! That's not, you shouldn't talk like that!"

"Don't be shy, sis. Can you imagine how proud dad would've been to see his oldest daughter married to an Alliance war hero?" Sarah said.

Ashley thought about it. It made sense; Shepard would fit right into the Williams family, his hero status would bring love and awe from every member of the family. Ashley's father would've joked with him about being a soldier, cooked steaks on the grill for him, and they'd drink beer together on the patio. The William's family would be completely cleared of their prejudice with Shepard being a member. _An army wedding would be nice too. We could spend a honey moon to some place nice, like Illium, and then go back to duty aboard the Normandy. He'd be Captain, and I'd be his XO, in the line of duty and in marriage. 'Ashley Shepard', _she thought. _Has a nice ring to it._

"Sis. Sis! I lost you for a second there. You were really thinking about it, huh?" Sarah asked.

Ashley scrambled for words, trying not to let what happened in her head come out through her mouth. "No, no I wasn't! Anyway, I gotta go! We're taking off soon, and I got things to do. Love you, Sarah!"

"Love you too, sis." Sarah responded.

"Bye," Ashley said.

"Bye," Sarah said, the vid cutting off.

Ashley sighed. _That conversation took a lot out of me, _she thought.

She sat in the mess hall, bored. She was lying when she told her sister she had work, since she was just a marine, she really didn't have anything to do when the Normandy had maintenance or was preparing to take off. _The only thing I'm good for is shooting things. At least I'm good at it, _she thought, reluctantly.

"Hey. What's with the long face?" asked a voice Ashley recognized as Kaidan's.

"Nothing. Just bored. There's nothing to do yet," she said melodramatically.

"Well I got some inventory to go over," Kaidan said, indicating to the data pad in his hand. "You're free to join me, if you want."

Ashley nodded, getting up from her chair and following Kaidan. They walked through the Normandy into the storage room, and got to work.

"What are we taking inventory of?" Ashley asked.

"Your favorite: guns and ammo," Kaidan said jokingly.

Ashley frowned. "You know, just cause I like guns doesn't mean that it's my favorite thing. I like other stuff too," she protested.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Kaidan answered, fumbling around with a box.

"You know, regular girl stuff," Ashley said, reluctantly.

"Ok, could you remind me what exactly that is?" Kaidan said.

Ashley frowned again. She was not getting out of this by bullshitting Kaidan. She thought deeply for a moment, and finally she came up with something. "Well I like poetry. Robert Frost is pretty good. So is Tennyson's Ulysses. I read a lot of books too, the Odyssey, the Iliad, Greek literature, stuff like that."

Kaidan dropped the box he held on the floor, its contents spilling on the floor. His head slowly turned to face Ashley. He spoke with a great amount of surprise.

"Seriously?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. What, you got a problem with that?" Ashley said defensively.

Kaidan blinked. "No, it's just that, well I didn't have you pegged as a fan of great literature."

"Just cause I'm good with a rifle, you think this girl doesn't enjoy some good Homer?" Ashley asked.

Kaidan stepped closer to Ashley as he spoke. "You know, there a lot of sides of you that aren't really easy to see on first glance."

"Well, you're not exactly a simple man yourself, Kaidan. I thought you'd be some sort of weakling the first time I saw you," Ashley challenged, stepping closer to Kaidan.

"Oh really? I can throw a man fifty meters with a wave of my hand. Do you think that's weak?" Kaidan asked, upping the ante.

"I can hit you between the eyes at a hundred meters. So yeah, pretty weak," Ashley answered, taking another step to close the gap between them.

"Maybe we should settle this out on the field, Williams," Kaidan said, closing the gap that continued to shrink with every second.

"I say we settle this right here and now," said Ashley as she took another step closer, her mouth finding Kaidan's in a deep kiss. Ashley threw her arms around Kaidan's shoulders, her legs coming up to wrap around his hips. Kaidan was surprised, by the kiss but also by the extra weight of Ashley. He grunted slightly, his legs widening to support their weight.

Ashley's tongue went into Kaidan's mouth, swirling around in it. Kaidan felt himself get lightheaded, resisting at first, but then he decided to just go with it. His hands came up to Ashley's hips, supporting her as he swirled his tongue as well. They kept making out until the Normandy rocked violently, throwing them both against the wall. Kaidan fell on his back, Ashley falling on top, knocking the wind out him for a second.

"What the hell was that?!" Ashley asked.

"You mean that wasn't you?" Kaidan replied.

Ashley looked back at Kaidan, her eyes going wide as she realized the situation she was in. She felt Kaidan's hands still on her hips, and she thought that she felt Kaidan's cod piece rubbing against her. _But he's not wearing armor…_

She jumped up from the floor to Kaidan's surprise, slapping him across the face.

"Perv!" she yelled as she ran out the room.

Kaidan leaned against the wall, getting up as fast as he could with his mind still reeling from Ashley's kiss. _What the hell was that? _he thought as he followed her to the engineering bay.

* * *

Shepard and Garrus sat in awe of Wrex. For the past two hours, they had sat in their stools, listening to the tales of the Krogan Mercenary; tales that made them sit at the edge of their seats in anticipation. Wrex had been a Mercenary and bounty hunter for about three centuries, fought hundreds of thousands of enemies and on several worlds and planets, most of which Garrus and Shepard had only heard of.

"Wrex, I, I don't know what to say. You're not like most Krogan at all," Garrus said, dumbfounded.

"You better get off this ship before you learn something about the real world, kid," Wrex commented.

"I don't think I've heard stories like that in all my years. Hey, what about that scar?" asked Shepard.

"What?" Wrex was taken aback.

"Yeah, that scar, it's probably got a story behind it. Tell us that one, Wrex," Garrus said.

Wrex traced a hand over the scar that flowed from his head plate down to his neck, his face grimacing slightly. "I can't, that story is personal," he said finally.

"Come on, Wrex, your stories are amazing! Let us hear the one about that scar," said Shepard.

"Yeah Wrex, tell us," Garrus agreed, nudging Wrex's arm slightly.

Wrex smacked Garrus' arm off of him, his face cringing in anger. "I said 'it's personal', you pyjaks!"

Garrus stepped back, afraid. Neither Garrus nor Shepard had seen Wrex this angry before, probably because he never had to get very angry to get what he wanted. Garrus put his hands up to give non threatening posture. "Ok, Ok, we get it Wrex, you don't have to tell us that story."

"Yeah, I mean that scar of yours seems so cool," Shepard commented.

Wrex seemed to calm down for a second as he explained. "Well for Krogans, a facial scar is normal, almost required for mating. Krogan females only will want to mate with strong males, experienced in battle. See, Shepard here is doing well as a warrior; he's got a nice scar that goes over his eye. You, Garrus, need to fight some more battles before any women consider you a viable candidate," Wrex lectured.

"What? I can pick up girls; I just need to find the right one…" Garrus muttered to himself.

"When you get that scar, the right one will come to you. Don't worry, if you fight enough battles, you'll earn yourself a beautiful scar," Wrex said, oddly comforting.

"We humans call it a 'Red Badge of Courage'," Shepard added.

"Why is it red?" Garrus asked.

"Because that's the color of human blood, Garrus. We don't all bleed blue, you know. It's funny though, human blood is the same color as Wrex's armor," Shepard laughed.

Wrex looked down at his armor, looking at the crimson red tint of it. "Really?" Wrex said thoughtfully, clearly interested in that observation.

"Does that mean humans will be scared of Wrex?" asked Garrus.

"Are you kidding? The first time I saw Wrex, I almost shit myself, he was so scary. It's not even a conscious thing; it's a completely subconscious reactive fear. For a second I thought his armor was white, but it had just gotten stained that way with all the human blood that had splattered on it," Shepard chuckled.

At that moment, the floor of Normandy rocked severely, almost sending Garrus and Shepard flying off their feet. They were caught by an invisible arm, and as Shepard turned to look, he saw Wrex grabbing both of them in each arm; his feet were gripping the floor in a wide stance. The rocking stopped almost as soon as it began.

"Thanks for the save Wrex!" Shepard said.

"Someone needs to watch your back," Wrex chuckled deeply.

"What was that?" Garrus asked.

"It must've been the mass effect generator. Come on!" Shepard yelled, running into the engineering bay, Garrus and Wrex following him. The three ran in, and Shepard looked around desperately.

He saw the Normandy's drive core, unharmed, and nothing in the bay area seemed to be out of order. He turned to Engineer Adams as he ran towards Shepard.

"Commander!" Adams yelled as he ran.

"What is it, Adams? What happened?" Shepard asked quickly.

"What happened? That Quarian girl is what happened!" Adams exclaimed.

Shepard's heart skipped a beat, his blood pressure falling. _Oh no. Oh God no. No, not Tali, not just after she got off the Citadel and out of the Med Bay. Not after all that she's been through, I can't have, I can't have just sent her to her death, could I? _Shepard's hands came up to clutch his head as his sight fell to the floor in disbelief.

"That Quarian girl, Tali, she has got a grip on understanding a ship's drive core that you could not believe! Somehow, she figured out a way to retrofit it without even powering it down the damn thing! It saved us maybe six hours, at least!" Adams chided loudly.

"It wasn't all my doing, Adams. I had you to help me do it, as well," Tali's voice came from behind Adams' back, and with it, to Shepard's relief, came Tali herself. Shepard let out a very large sigh.

"Well the idea to retrofit it back while using eezo absorbing plates was genius!" Adams exclaimed.

"Looks like I'm in your debt again, Miss Zorah," said Shepard.

Tali had an idea. "Perhaps you could repay me, in a way of sorts, Captain."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What did you have in mind?" he asked.

Tali rubbed her hands together nervously, even one of her feet rubbed against the other. "Well, I thought that, maybe that, with all things considered, that you could, maybe, let me join your crew?"

Shepard's heart fluttered seeing Tali so nervous, he quickly clutched his heart, confused slightly. He coughed, trying to get a hold of himself. "What would a young Quarian girl like yourself want on a mission like mine?" he asked coolly.

Tali stood strongly, putting her foot down firmly. "I want to help fight the Geth. They have plagued my people for three centuries, killed most of the population on our home world Rannoch, and made us take refuge in the sky on ships older than we are. We've been so confided to space for so long, our immune systems have gotten too weak to resist even the weakest of atmospheres. They have taken everything I could've had, Shepard. So please, let me join you."

Shepard smiled. _She is like her; she's just like Jessica, isn't she? _

Tali tried to guess what Shepard was thinking by his expression. _Pride, maybe nostalgia? But that doesn't make sense…_

"I'd be crazy not accept an engineer as skilled as you to work on my ship. And your reasons for being here are almost as good as mine. Welcome aboard." Shepard stuck out his hand.

_This must be the human tradition of shaking hands Dr. Chakwas was telling me about, _Tali thought. She grabbed Shepard's hand as firmly as she could. They shook, and Tali felt that Shepard had accepted her as a member of her crew. It made Tali feel like she belonged to something, like she fit in; a feeling she only got when she was on the Flotilla.

Ashley burst into the engineering bay, followed shortly by Kaidan. They both asked the same question in unison.

"What happened?!" they both said.

Tali was about to speak when Shepard interjected. "We have a new member of our crew, named Tali Zorah, who after a mere two hours finished fixing the drive core, saving us valuable time. We can now leave to Eden Prime."

"Eden Prime? Why would we go there, Shepard?" asked Garrus.

"To get your evidence, Garrus. To track a bear in the wilderness, you must first find its trail. Once we've seen where he's been, and how he operates, we can find him and take him out. Plus, we don't really have any other leads yet," Shepard said.

"I could take a look at that data we got from Tali, see if anything on it could give us a lead," Garrus said.

"That'd be good. I'm sure we could find out a lot from that data," Shepard commented.

Kaidan and Ashley stood awkwardly apart. Shepard noticed the right side of Kaidan's face was bright red. "Kaidan, what happened to your face?"

Kaidan's hand came to his face instinctively. "Uh, nothing commander, just, uh, something hit me in the face a while ago."

Ashley broke into the conversation as well. "Yeah, a box, he was carrying it and then when the Normandy rocked, it, uh, hit him in the face."

"Yeah, that's what happened, Commander," said Kaidan awkwardly.

Shepard's eyes narrowed, to Ashley's horror. _He can't find about me and Kaidan fooling around, I'll get grounded and put back on some shitty post! _Ashley thought.

"You guys are weird," Shepard stated plainly, walking away. "I'm going to talk to Joker, and we're leaving the Citadel ASAP."

Ashley breathed out a sigh of relief, while Kaidan rubbed his face thoughtfully.

* * *

"Hey there, commander," said Joker as Shepard walked into the cockpit.

"Hey yourself. We all ready to lift off?" asked Shepard.

"Yes sir. I don't know what Tali did down there, but she did it quick; the Normandy's systems are all nominal," Joker commented.

"I don't know what she did either. That girl saved me a lot of trouble, and I think having her around is gonna save me a lot more. Are we all set for Eden Prime?" asked Shepard.

"Yes sir, got the flight vectors all set up, got the itinerary mapped out, every step of the way has been handpicked to get us there as soon as possible," Joker described.

"Perfect. Let's take off," Shepard said anxiously.

"Hang on Commander, don't you want to say something to the crew before we embark on this perilous journey? A speech to boost morale, get us all ready to go on this mission, something that no human crew has ever accomplished in the history of the galaxy? Just a suggestion," Joker said.

"And a good one. Put me on, then," Shepard said.

Joker tapped the screen in front of him, touching various blinking lights, and then turned back to Shepard. "You're on."

Shepard leaned in close to the Normandy's monitor. "Attention crew of the SR-1 Normandy, this is Commander Blake Shepard speaking. Captain Anderson gave me this ship for one purpose: to find Saren any way we can, to bring him to justice, either by the Citadel court, the blackness of space, or the barrel of a gun. It won't be easy; Saren is experienced, cunning, and deadly, but he has one weakness: he thinks we're stupid. His failure on Eden Prime shows how arrogant he can be, and this arrogance will be his undoing. We will become his shadow, where he goes, we follow; tracking him across the universe will take up the majority of our mission. We've been ordered to do something no human crew has done before. For too long humanity has been in the dark, the council races looking down upon us, judging our usefulness with their own devices. Today, we take the matters of the Council into our hands, and with it, we take control of our destiny. And when we are finished, the galaxy will be unable to deny the importance of humanity. We do this for our race, for the future of the galaxy, for our fallen comrades, and for the people that have sacrificed themselves to give us this chance. It won't be a smooth ride, crew, but it will be the greatest mission you will ever be a part of, and it will certainly be a hell of a ride. My advice: buckle up, a storm is coming."

"Well said commander," said Joker, impressed.

"Anderson gave me this chance. Humanity needs this. The galaxy needs this. We cannot afford failure. Get this bird in the air," Shepard said softly. _I need this. This is the only thing that can save me._

* * *

**To Airam, who inspires me.**


	10. Chapter 10: Path to Eden

**Bill here! This chapter has got a bit more of Shepard in the slums, some of his past. We see more interactions between the crew, Space Elvis gets an extra special apology, Shepard spends some much needed time with Tali, Wrex loses at poker, and Garrus doesn't understand human references. I've been really hating that there hasn't been a lot of action lately, but that's about to change. Give me a review if you liked the chapter and why, or if you didn't like it tell me why. As always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

A young boy crouched behind a wall.

The walls that were once clean and sturdy were now crumbling apart, littering the slums with rubble. The boy hid behind the wall, his clothes coated with a fine powder that was once a great building, disguising him.

The boy hid from eyes on the other side of the wall, the eyes of several ill-tempered vagrants that inhabited the areas of the slums. They laughed loudly as they walked.

_They must have just hit a supply truck, _the boy thought. He had witnessed many trucks coming and going at random intervals at the edge of the slums. Along the roads there were many spots where an ambush could be set, the boy had witnessed such ambushes, and it was common for robberies to occur.

The wind changed direction, blowing towards the boy's face, and with it, blew the smell of food, presumably from the bags the vagrants carried. Where they came from or why they were being transported was none of the boy's concern, his stomach rumbled slightly before the boy silenced it by tensing his abdominals. He peeked over the side, slowly, seeing the group walk past him.

_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven guys. How am I going to do this? _The boy pondered to himself, eyeing the bag hanging so loosely in a vagrant's hand at the rear of the group, hanging like a ripe fruit in a tree. The boy's mouth watered, as he stepped quietly out from cover, keeping his head low but his eyes stuck on the bag.

He stalked to the men as they moved, his eyes burning a hole into the side of the package. He started to grow taller as his strides grew longer; he began to pick up speed. He ran to the men, their backs facing to him, their minds stuck on the thought of enjoying their newly procured morsels instead of listening to the sound of footsteps behind them.

The boy ran, dipping as he neared the unsuspecting vagrant holding the bag of food, snatching out of his careless grip to the boy's delight, as he continued running past the group. In response to his theft, the vagrants went into an uproar, shouting in anger. The boy ran with a smile on his face, part from the food he held in his hand, part from the rush of stealing a bag of food from the man in such a risky method. His joy lasted up until he ran around a corner, only to be lifted up into the air by an unknown force.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A sneaky little thief, eh?" said a gruff voice.

_Crap! Crap crap crap crap crap crap! I'm so dead, _thought the boy, as he hung from the gruff voice's arm. He tried to fight, tried to squirm and move, tried to kick and thrash, but the arm held him firmly, shaking him to stop.

"He stole my bag right from under my nose, that little bastard!" said the vagrant who held his bag so loosely before.

"Yeah he did. This one's smart," said the gruff voice.

"What should we do to him? Cut off his hands for pinchin'? That's what the used to do in the old days," said one vagrant.

Another voice scoffed rudely. "When the hell did you learn about how the old days punished stealin'?"

"In school, before I left. The teach taught us about this guy, Hammerburger, he was king of Baby-lon, a long time ago," answered the first.

Another voice laughed. "Hammerburger? How many cigarettes did your whore mother smoke while she was pregnant with you?"

"My mom ain't no whore, you son of a bitch! Didn't you learn nothing in school? 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'."

"That don't make sense. And that don't tell us what to do with this mutt."

The gruff voice that held the boy spoke. "We don't do anything. We take him to Dalton. He'll tell us what to do."

"What the hell would Dalton want with this mutt?"

"That's for Dalton to know. Remember what happened to Jones when he didn't bring something to Dalton?"

The group grew silent. They all remembered what happened to their companion, Jones, after he decided to keep a girl for himself instead of bringing her to Dalton. The vagrants shuddered at the memory of Jones' eyes being burnt out with a hot metal pole.

"Alright, we take him to Dalton. Let's go."

* * *

The group walked a distance, eventually arriving at a building which still, for the most part, stood up as it should have, at least compared to the rest of the buildings surrounding it. The windows were shattered, leaving large gaps of open space and the doors were crudely fixed upright, as if they had been broken inward before. The group of vagrants walked into the building, the man with the gruff voice still held the boy in his grip.

In the building was a long hall, a lobby perhaps, but now without any functional stories taller than it. It now served to provide residence to these vagrants, who had assumingly organized themselves together into a gang. The group walked down the long passage, other vagrants loitering around the sides of it, sitting on the remaining couches stripped of their leather casing to reveal their fluffy filling.

As they reached the end, the boy saw that this was not just a hall or a home for vagrants, but a throne room. He looked up, his eyes following the floor as they rose to a chair, quite large and overly decorated by various pieces of trash, and the man who now sat in it. The man was maybe fifty years old, had frazzled white hair and a leathery wrinkled face. On his head was a hat, a crown of sorts, made of what appeared to be copper wiring and computer chips. _That must be Dalton, _the boy thought.

"What business do you have, Don?" said Dalton.

The man with the gruff voice, who had been addressed as Don, spoke. "We raided the trucks like you commanded and here are the spoils." Don gestured to the other vagrants, and the placed their bags in front of Dalton's throne in a neat pile.

Dalton smiled, apparently pleased. "Ah yes, I knew I could count on you, Don. You make your king proud. Take your cut for you and your men." Dalton's gaze was on Don, and then fell slowly to the young boy in Don's grip, his face cringing. "Who is that, mutt, you have there, Don?" he said with disdain in his voice.

"He was found trying to steal from us. I caught him myself, and we didn't know what to do with him," Don said, releasing his grip and pushing the boy forward.

Dalton leaned forward in his chair, interested. "Really? Did he have a chance of getting away?"

"He did, had I not intervened," answered Don.

Dalton smirked widely. "Step forward, mutt."

The young boy stepped forward, nervous.

"Why did you try to steal from my men?" Dalton asked.

The boy didn't know how to respond. He stuttered as he spoke. "I-I-I was h-hungry," he said quietly.

Dalton laid back into his chair. "You were hungry? What is your name, mutt?"

"B-Blake," the boy said.

"Black?" Dalton asked aloud.

The boy did not have the strength to correct him, as Dalton continued to speak. "Well then, Black, what have you been doing out in the slums on your own? Have you no other group to be with?"

"I've lived alone," Blake answered glumly.

"Like a dog?" Dalton laughed, amused. "Like a Black Dog! That's no way to live, Black Dog," Dalton lectured.

Blake nodded sheepishly, unsure where the conversation was going.

"Well then, we have a hungry black dog here, and he wants to steal from us. What am I going to do with him?" Dalton said mockingly. Blake's eyes avoided Dalton's falling to the floor.

A bag landed at Blake's feet. Blake looked up, surprised and confused.

Dalton saw his confusion and explained. "Here you go, Black Dog. That'll feed you for at least two days, if you save it. When that food runs out, you come back here, and I'll have something for you to do to earn your food."

Blake answered enthusiastically. "Yes sir!" he said in response, picking up the bag.

"You were a stray dog, Black, a lone wolf. Now, you're in a wolf pack. You follow my lead, do what I say, and you'll do good here."

Blake nodded, his disposition improved by the weight of the bag he now held in his hand.

"I have only one rule: nothing is illegal until you get caught. You see what that means, Black Dog?" Dalton asked.

Blake cocked his head to the side, confused.

He answered his own question. "It means that whatever you do, steal, kill, rape, murder, whatever it is that you so that society frowns upon, it's only illegal if they catch you. It means that whatever you do, don't ever get caught." Dalton leaned back in his throne, satisfied. "Now go on, dog, come back when you're hungry again."

Blake left hurriedly out the building, in the direction of the dilapidated building where his storage closet was.

When the boy left, Don spoke. "Why did you give a stray like him food? He'll only end up following us around like a pup."

Dalton smiled. "That's why you're not in charge, Don. You can't see what lies in people's hearts. That boy, he's alive because he's fought for it. Under his skin lies a beast, waiting to be released, waiting to be let loose, and waiting to be used. And that's exactly what I intend to do."

* * *

Shepard woke up to the sound of an alarm ringing. It rang softly, as to wake him without startling him. Shepard rose slowly, unsure where he was at first. Around him was a large spacious room, with a black soft looking couch, an aquarium that took up an entire wall and projected a blue light on the entire room, a spacious desk with a computer on it, and two doors. One door seemed to be the door out of the room, while the other looked like a door to a washroom of some sort. _I'm in Anderson's room? But, why?_

Shepard felt his head, his thoughts still hazy, and he had a slight headache. _This isn't Anderson's room; it's the captain's room. I'm the captain now. _

Shepard remembered that he had quickly moved his equipment and various personal items to the Captain's chambers, not really taking the time to put everything away. He had been reluctant to, in fact, due to his uncomfortable attitude towards Anderson's relocation to the Citadel, and had simply fallen into bed last night.

_I need a shower, _Shepard thought, rubbing his eyes, trying to get all the sleepiness out. He looked over at the digital clock on the table next to the bed. It read '08:48 SANT', the acronym SANT standing for Standard Alliance Navy Time. On each ship in the Alliance Navy, the shifts were based on a 25 hour day, which was a natural day for a human. For thousands of years, humans had lived 24 hour days ran by the orbit of the Earth around the Sun, but after the expanse of humanity in space, most ships worked by a time based on the natural human sleep schedule, which a ran on 25 hour days.

Shepard got up from the bed, lumbering over to the washroom door, using the rails for support as his legs begged for five more minutes of sleep. His whole body felt heavy, stiff, and sore. _Well a lot happened yesterday, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised if my body took a little beating. _

He walked into the shower room, turning the nozzles and letting out a deep moan as the water hit his body. Steam rose as Shepard stood in the shower, content with staying under the nozzle's blast of hot water on the back of his head and shoulders, flowing down his body in a wave of warm relaxation. Shepard thought about the dream he woke up with. _That was when I met Dalton, and when I joined his gang. What a day that was! I thought I was going to get my hands cut off. _

As his body warmed up, loosening as it was heated by the water, Shepard's thoughts became much clearer. He began to wash himself with the various soaps and shampoos that resided in the shower. He came out of the shower, out of the cloud of steam, fresh and much more alive.

He started his day grooming himself, making sure everything was looking good. He looked in the mirror, examining his face and hair. Shepard has two blue eyes with a hint of sadness in them that he had gotten used to seeing in the mirror. His mouth was quite wide, which helped when he ate large amounts. Shepard examined his teeth, finding that they were polished white, and dangerously fang like. His canines were very large; every time he went in for a physical examination he always got a comment on his 'wolf teeth', as his dentist called them. His hair was dark, not black, but a dark brown which shined slightly in the light. It was a thick head of hair; it kept him warm when others would shiver in the cold. Shepard looked at his nose, seeing that it wasn't bent, broken, runny, or bleeding, felt that it was perfectly fine. Finishing his inspection of his face and finding that it was nominal, his sight drifted down to his body.

Shepard had a strong build, a tall height and long arms. Shepard's muscles were well defined; his body was like a knife's blade: quick, sharp, efficient, and deadly. His body wasn't muscularly armored the way one might imagine a heroic man, his body was quick, coiled like a snake, ready to strike out at any time. Shepard could not afford any excess muscle on his body; anything that made his slower when he moved could get him shot.

His arms looked like metal cords, his shoulders were two chunks of muscle tied down by his pectoral and lateral muscles, and his torso was like a meaty engine made of organs. All along his arms, his shoulders, and along his back were scars, scrapes, and other past wounds that had healed. Shepard liked that his body was muscular and decorated by scars; it proved that he was a warrior, and a hard one to kill at that.

Shepard looked at his legs, sticking his left leg out from his towel and flexing his whole leg in the mirror. Every muscle from his quadriceps to his toe muscles looked strong and veiny, his thighs, knees and ankles pocketed by scars from past battles.

Satisfied with how his body looked and the condition of his previously acquired wounds, he dried off and walked back to the bed to get dressed. He reached into the box containing his personal items, removing his formal Alliance uniform and putting it on. Shepard zipped up his pants, laced up his officers boots, and fixed his uniform to be straight. He looked at himself in the mirror, seeing a strong Alliance soldier staring back at him. _I'm a soldier now, a man who fights for law, for justice, for his country, his race, and his planet. I am no longer a homeless vagrant. I am no longer a lone wolf._

* * *

Shepard walked into the cockpit. Seeing Joker sitting in his pilot's chair, he spoke.

"Hey there Joker," he said.

"Hey there Captain-I mean-Commander! Damn, sorry Shepard," Joker said, cursing the habit.

Shepard chuckled slightly as he sat in the co-pilot's seat. "It's alright, I'm fitting into Anderson's position nicely," he said. _That's exactly what he's been training me for._

"I bet you have, you've been Anderson's XO since before I got posted on the Normandy," Joker replied.

"Oh yeah, I remember when you first got here. The pilot before you was a pasty little white punk. I hated that whiny bitch," Shepard complained.

"He was such a whiny bitch that a kid with Vrolik's syndrome replaced him?! He must've really been a pain," Joker chuckled.

"He was. Every time we hit a bit of turbulence, he would start freaking out, he was all 'I can't pilot the ship under these conditions' and what not, made me sick to my stomach seeing him complain. I was tempted to take him out on patrol, show him what real war conditions were. Didn't get that bad enough for me, but it must have for Anderson, cause he got his whiny ass canned and we got you to replace him," Shepard said.

"An opportunity I will never forget," Joker said quietly.

"I like you a lot better, Joker. You got dealt a bad hand of cards early in life, but that didn't stop you from getting what's yours. That, I can respect," Shepard pointed out, standing up from the seat.

"Not that that's ever happened to you," Joker said jokingly.

"Well, at least in the slums, I could run a block without my bones breaking," Shepard joked back.

Joker laughed. "Well, it's not all bad; I get a lot of disability benefits from it,"

"At least there's that. How far until Eden Prime?" Shepard asked.

"A couple hours, probably six, give or take," Joker answered.

"Alright, keep me posted when we get into range," said Shepard as he walked out of the cockpit.

"Will do Commander," Joker said with a nod.

* * *

Shepard walked into the engineering bay. With six hours to kill, Shepard thought he would check up on his newest recruit. The large area was illuminated by the drive core, a giant blue metal ball that apparently powered the ship somehow. Shepard didn't know exactly how the drive core worked; if he did, he would be an engineer instead of an infiltrator. Finding Tali, he walked over to where she stood, her back facing Shepard, tapping furiously on a computer screen.

"Hello, Miss Zorah, how are we doing today?" Shepard asked politely.

Tali jumped, yelping in surprise. "Captain! Please, don't sneak up on me like that, especially when I'm working" Tali pleaded.

A pang of guilt shot through Shepard. "I'm sorry Miss Zorah; I didn't mean to startle you. I suppose there's a reason I was chose as in Infiltrator though," Shepard said, trying to integrate some humor into the conversation to lighten the mood.

Tali read Shepard's expression. _Guilt, and embarrassment? He didn't mean to sneak up on me, I suppose._ Tali decided to change the subject. "What exactly is an 'Infiltrator'?" she asked curiously.

Shepard's face brightened up at the mention of a subject he was familiar with. "Well, an Infiltrator is a class of Alliance infantry that use a mixture of firepower and technology. I'm equipped with a tactical cloak, grenades, and of course, my sniper rifle. My main expertise is sniping, taking enemies out from long ranges, often while remaining hidden, though I'm not bad at sabotaging weapons, armor, or anything mechanical that gets in my way. I have to use my head a lot, plan out my tactics before I implement them."

Tali watched Shepard as he talked, his face making expressions which showed how much he loved talking about this subject. Tali smiled, she was content with watching him talk, until Shepard asked her a question.

"How do you like the Normandy so far?" Shepard asked.

Tali lit up at the question. "Oh my, it's wonderful! Engineer Adams has been so helpful, he accepted me almost instantly, despite my being a Quarian. And to think I was surrounded by Quarian hating bigots just a couple of days ago!"

Shepard laughed. "That's good. What do you think of the Normandy's systems?"

"The Normandy is amazing! The Tantalus Drive Core is exceptionally advanced. I had no idea you could fit a drive core so big into a ship so small. I've spent the last seven hours reading up on it," Tali talked happily, almost bouncing from foot to foot in excitement.

"The last seven hours? When was the last time you slept?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"Oh, don't worry Captain; Quarians only sleep about five hours a day," Tali explained.

"That's amazing, humans need at least eight hours a day." Shepard chuckled slightly. "You know, I'm not actually a Captain. By Alliance rank, I'm only a Commander," Shepard corrected.

"You are in control of the ship. By Quarian standards, you are the Captain of this ship," Tali answered plainly.

"Yes but this is an Alliance ship, and ranks must be earned, not given out simply on circumstances," Shepard retorted.

"Then what do you want me to call you?" Tali asked.

"On the ship, call me Shepard. Or Blake. Your choice," Shepard said smoothly.

Tali blushed at the thought of calling Shepard by his first name. _Blake… I like the way that sounds. _"Ok Shepard, but then you need to call me something else too. I don't know why you've been calling 'Miss Zorah' all this time. What does 'miss' mean anyway," Tali asked.

"It's a formal label, when you want to address someone politely. 'Miss' is used for girls and young women," Shepard explained.

"Well stop it. I'm not even that young, I'm twenty two by human years," Tali stated.

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "Twenty two? You're a lot older than I thought you were."

Tali's head turned to the side as she looked at Shepard. "How old did you think I was?"

Shepard leaned back on his left leg, his eyes looking up as he tried to think. "Fifteen, maybe sixteen in human years?"

Tali was shocked. "How could you think I was that age?! I mean, do I really look like I'm that young?" she asked, a question she immediately regretted.

"I thought so. If your pilgrimage is your rite of passage to adulthood, it seems like you'd start it at about sixteen, plus you seemed so child like, I figured that you were that age. You're also pretty short by human standards. What are you, 5'3"?"

Tali was speechless. If she didn't have her facemask, a fly could've flown directly into her mouth as it remained open for a moment.

"At what age do humans usually become adults?!" Tali managed to sputter out.

"At about age fourteen to sixteen, it depends on the human's genes. We grow until about age twenty two. Girls start earlier than guys, too," Shepard added.

"You humans grow quickly!" Tali exclaimed.

"I suppose we do. So what should I call you?" Shepard asked.

"What, what are you talking about?" Tali fumbled.

"The name I call you. You didn't want me to call you 'Miss Zorah'. What should I call you?" Shepard reiterated.

"Tali, just Tali please," she said demurely.

"Ok Tali," Shepard said with a smile.

Tali's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she felt like she was floating. Her face was in full blush, and yet again she found herself thankful for her facemask. She wasn't sure why, but when Shepard used were first name it hit a nerve in Tali's brain that gave her goose bumps and made her legs rubbery.

"So what's this pilgrimage about?" Shepard asked.

It took Tali a moment to snap out of her trance. "Huh? Oh, the pilgrimage? It's a trip each Quarian has to take to become an adult. Each Quarian goes out into the galaxy to find something of value to bring back to the Flotilla. It's very important to the Fleet's survival; the outside resources are greatly needed. The better the gift, the better the ship you get invited to be on as a crew member. Most ship Captains will take any new crew members since it ups their social standing, but to come back from a pilgrimage without something of value is considered extremely taboo. I especially need something of great value for my pilgrimage, since my father-" Tali cut herself off. _I wasn't supposed to talk about my father!_

Shepard was confused, and because of Tali's strange reaction he was also curious, Tali could see it on his face, and she knew what he was going to say before he even asked.

"What was that about your father?" he asked.

Tali sighed. _I really don't want to talk about my father right now. _"Look, I really don't want to talk about my father…" Tali began. She watched as Shepard's face went from curiosity, to disappointment, and then to grimace from a bitter memory.

"Well, alright, I didn't mean to pry into your personal business, I just wanted to know more about you," Shepard said, a tone of sadness could be traced in his voice.

_His father is dead! Both his parents are dead, you boshtet! How could you say you don't want to talk about him when he's still alive?! _She tried to speak, but fumbled a bit. "Shepard I, my father, he, well, it's hard to explain."

Shepard's face lightened up a bit, which relaxed Tali enough to form complete sentences with correct syntax.

"My father, he is the head of the Admiralty Board," Tali said slowly.

One of Shepard's eyebrows rose, an expression that Tali noted as an expression of slight confusion. She continued.

"He is in the highest position a Quarian can have on the Migrant Fleet. The Admiralty board is made up of the top Admirals, and of course the head of the Admiralty board is of great importance. Therefore, since I am his daughter, I must rise up to be as dedicated to the Fleet as he is," Tali said.

"So… you're royalty then?" Shepard asked incredulously.

Tali's hand came up to lightly slap her face, only to end up hitting her facemask. She couldn't believe what Shepard had just said. "No, I'm not, that's not how, the Admiralty Board isn't chosen by blood, you can only get elected there. It's just that, as a child everyone knew who my father was, and so they expected the same out of me."

"What did your mother say?" Shepard asked.

Tali was quiet. _If anyone could relate to me, it would be him, _She thought. "She, she died, five years ago, airborne virus. After that, my father sort of became a recluse, working on nothing but the fleet. He didn't even have time for me…"

Tali trailed off, her sight going down to the perforated railings of the floor. A heavy hand came down on her shoulder, and as she looked up she met Shepard's eyes, stern and comforting. She could see his thoughts, his concerns, and his pain, all in his eyes. When he spoke, he spoke with great wisdom and a calm disposition.

"Losing your parents is hard, but I think every parent wants their child to stand up on their own," Shepard said, each word carefully spoken like a rehearsed mantra.

Tali took these words to heart; this man had seen a great deal in his lifetime. She smiled; his concern was comforting to her.

"Ok," she said finally, Shepard's hand still gripping softly on Tali's shoulder, its warmth spreading onto her body from his hand through her suit. It had an oddly comforting effect, as Tali breathed deeply.

The door of the engineering bay opened and Garrus walked in, breathing heavily.

"Shepard, you're gonna want to see this."

* * *

Shepard, Garrus and Tali stood looking at a video recording. It showed two figures speaking, one was obviously Saren, and the other was an unknown Asari. The Asari was dressed in black dress, looked very sophisticated, and had an elegant black hat of some sort on her head. The two spoke, their voices quite audible.

"It was a great victory at Eden Prime," said Saren, his metallic voice was even more unnatural.

"Yes, and one more step to the Conduit," the Asari said.

Garrus pointed a clawed finger to the screen. "That hat and manner of dress is only used by an Asari Matriarch. I'm working on finding who she is exactly."

"Well, whoever she is, she seems to be Saren's second in command, which means we've got more people to track down. With any luck, she'll be easier to find than Saren," Shepard said.

"I wonder what she means when she said 'the Conduit'. Do you think it has a bigger meaning? I don't think she means a simple mechanical conduit you buy in the market," Tali added.

"That's a good question. Whatever this 'Conduit' is, we've got to find it before Saren does. We'll find out what it's for later. For now, let's assume it's some sort of galactic doomsday device," Shepard chuckled.

"Shepard, don't joke around," Tali said sternly.

"Yeah, Shepard, there's no way Saren would be trying to destroy the galaxy. That's dumb," commented Garrus.

"Hey, I'm just saying, the plots for villains in this day and age are pretty transparent. Not a lot of creativity anymore. But what do I know, maybe I've been watching too many James Bond movies," Shepard mused.

Both of Shepard's alien companions looked at him strangely. They both repeated in unison. "James Bond?"

Shepard sighed. _I kept forgetting that they're not human, _he thought. He explained. "James Bond is the protagonist in the 007 series of movies. He's a spy and he's always sent on missions where he ends up saving the world or something along those lines. He also sleeps with a bunch of women in each movie; it's kind of his trademark."

"That sounds like it gets really repetitive and redundant," said Garrus.

"You'd think it would be, but the series is still pretty popular, ever since it started in the 20th century," Shepard commented.

"20th century?! Keelah, are you sure this isn't a human tradition or something?" Tali asked in disbelief.

"Nope, it's just a simple equation really: have one smooth sweet talking protagonist, take him right out of a bed with a beautiful woman in it, put him on a dangerous mission to save the world, watch him foil the villian's plan, and then there he goes back into bed with a different woman," Shepard explained.

"I don't understand, is the series about saving the world, or sleeping with women?" Garrus asked.

"Both really. You could say that people come for the 'save the world' concept, but people stay for the womanizing. The thing about James Bond is he is really smooth, so the movies have to reflect that," said Shepard.

"Wow, that is a simple concept," said Tali.

"We should a movie night, when they investigation gets really slow. Maybe I can show you guys some of the finer points of human cinema," Shepard said.

"Until that, Shepard, I'll be looking up the whereabouts of some matriarchs, see if I can't identify our mystery Asari mistress," Garrus said.

"Alright, but be ready to go down to Eden Prime in a while, I want you there to see if you can use your 'C-sec mojo' planet side, see if we can't pull up something to use to follow Saren," said Shepard, turning to walk away.

"I'm going to save the explanation to what you just said for a later time," said Garrus as he fiddled with the hologram on his omni tool.

Tali followed Shepard, rubbing her hands together in a nervous fashion. "Umm, Shepard?" she asked demurely.

Shepard turned, a mysterious chord being struck as his looked upon Tali's adorable stature. _No wonder I thought she was young, she is too adorable to be twenty two, _he thought.

"Umm, Shepard, I was wondering if I could, perhaps, accompany you on Eden Prime?" Tali asked shyly.

Shepard was confused. "You mean, on the ground? Tali, you don't need to be on the ground team with me, you can just stay on the ship and wait for-" Shepard began.

Tali put a hand on Shepard's sleeve, pulling it slightly, her eyes coming to meet Shepard's. Shepard hadn't noticed it before, but two bright irises could be seen through her mask. Both irises looked directly into Shepard's eyes, brightly shining. She spoke with conviction.

"You need an expert in Geth, and an engineer on the ground. You saw how I got that memory core, no one has been able to do that in years. If you're going to be looking for something to track Saren and the Geth, you're going to need me," Tali stated firmly.

Shepard grinned, impressed. _She's cute, but she's got some spunk. Definitely worth keeping around,_ he thought. "Well, alright little lady. But know this, where I go, trouble follows. Don't expect this to be a cake walk, danger is almost always guaranteed with me. Oh, and when we're out on a mission, whatever I say goes, I don't want any back talk or mutiny, you do what I tell you when I tell you to do it," Shepard lectured, a pointed finger gesturing to get his point across.

"Yes sir!" said Tali as she saluted. She had seen Shepard and other Alliance soldiers do it, so she decided to try it.

Shepard looked at Tali as she saluted, a dumb smile spreading across his face. _I've never seen a salute that I thought was this cute before._

* * *

Kaidan sat in the Med Bay, his mind currently being impaled by a migraine. He wondered if having as L2 biotic implant was worth the amount of headaches and migraines he got from it. Either side could be argued; the L2 implant had given him extensive biotic power, but after missions he spent most of his off time clutching his head in anguish. His mind shifted to the incident with Ashley, from her erotic to erratic behavior.

For the past day he had tried not to think about it, but it was to no use. He could not, not think about it, it was too confusing to understand. _Why would she initiate something like that, and then call me a pervert? Is she into that sort of thing? Is she bipolar or something? _

He thought about her walk towards him, that predatory look in her eyes, the way she swayed her hips ever so slightly as she stalked up to him, the smoothness of her movements reminded Kaidan of a lioness on the prowl. He thought about her movements, the way she had grabbed his shoulders to bring him into a kiss, the way she had wrapped her legs tightly around him, the way her lips had felt on his. _Her lips… and her tongue! _Kaidan's mind went light headed again at the thought of Ashley's tongue swirling about in his mouth; he could taste the sweet femininity of her saliva and suddenly Kaidan's migraine didn't hurt so much anymore.

"Lieutenant? Hello?" said Dr. Chakwas, waving a hand back and forth in front of Kaidan's face.

Kaidan blinked several times, his head clearing out all the thoughts of Ashley he could. "I'm sorry, what were you saying, Doc?" he said.

"I was asking you about your condition. Has it improved any?" Dr. Chakwas asked.

Kaidan nodded slightly. "A bit, yeah."

Satisfied, Dr. Chakwas tapped on the projected clipboard in front of her.

"Hey doc, can I ask you something?" Kaidan asked.

Dr. Chakwas looked up from the clipboard; she felt an important question coming on. "Anything, dear, you know me."

"What does it mean, when a woman seems like she's interested, but then doesn't?" Kaidan said with much difficulty. He didn't want to give away too much information, especially not a name.

"Well, women tend to be fickle in terms of love. A girl may show affection, but be driven away for some reason. It could be anything really, maybe she's got a boyfriend, maybe she lost someone she loved and you remind her of him. It could be a lot of things. She could be gay, even, or bisexual. Or maybe she just is afraid of the Alliance regulations against fraternization among squad mates. Unless of course, this mystery girl is our newest Quarian recruit?" Dr. Chakwas asked with a sharp look.

Kaidan laughed. "No doc, it's not Tali. I wouldn't want to steal her from Shepard, now would I?"

"You really think they're going to be together? Think of the age difference, think of the race difference while you're at it," Dr. Chakwas laughed.

"Not really, but it's nice to tease Shepard about something, him being a hero and all. First he was the Black Dog, next the hero of Elysium, N7 Infiltrator, now a Spectre and in charge of the Normandy," Kaidan mused.

"He's not the only hero, Kaidan. And he's definitely going to need someone to watch his back," said Chakwas.

"That he is. Thanks for the appointment, doc. I'm feeling a bit better now," said Kaidan as he rose to walk out of the Med Bay.

"Not a problem. Come back if you get a migraine, and let me know what happens with that 'mystery girl'," Dr. Chakwas said after him.

Kaidan walked out of the Med Bay, the doors making a hissing sound as they closed behind him. His head felt better, his migraine had subsided for some reason. _Perhaps all I needed was some advice, not that those pills the doc gave me weren't a good idea. I wonder if that's true about Ashley. Maybe she is gay? Or at least bisexual, that girl is as butch as a girl can be while still being hot._

As if on cue, Ashley walked up to where Kaidan stood thinking.

"Hey… we need to talk," She said quietly.

"I dare say we do. But this time let's not do it in a storage locker, I'd hate for you to jump me. It'd probably be my fault though, right? After all, I'm the pervert in this situation," Kaidan said, a streak of anger suddenly funneling into his voice.

He turned from Ashley and began walking away, until Ashley reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait, I, I'm sorry about that, I'm sorry about everything, it's just that, I've been having a hard time lately," Ashley said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Well so have I, all the hot girls that make out with me have been slapping me in the face. Maybe I'm just a bad kisser," Kaidan said sarcastically.

"We both know that's not the problem." Ashley smiled and looked up at Kaidan with teary eyes. Kaidan hadn't noticed how small she was until now. For some reason, she was just a girl, her tough act was gone, her defenses were lowered, and she even had her hair down, a hint of perfume trailed into Kaidan's nostrils.

"Did you come here to apologize?" Kaidan asked, taking a step backward instinctively.

Ashley matched the distance between them by taking a step forward, as a sense of déjà vu hit Kaidan. "In a way…" she said, her finger twirling a strand of her hair.

Kaidan felt he was in danger, not in life threatening danger, but in danger of completely losing control of himself. He swallowed, a loud gulp audible from his throat. Kaidan's voice cracked slightly when he spoke. "When, when do we have to be ready for Eden Prime?" he asked, clinging to what logic and reason he had left.

Ashley smiled a smile a lioness would use before she sunk her teeth into her prey. She spoke slowly and victoriously. "Six hours," Ashley said mischievously.

Kaidan smiled nervously. "That's, that's a long time."

Ashley nodded as she gently grabbed Kaidan's hand, putting his hand on the side of her head, rubbing his palm along the soft skin of her cheek, his fingers tracing down her small face. _That's it, I'm done, _Kaidan thought, his reason leaving him.

* * *

Joker popped up on Shepard's omni tool. "Commander, we'll be in range of Eden Prime in thirty minutes."

"Good. I'm tired of waiting," Shepard said, setting down the five cards in his hand. He looked at the large pile of poker chips that rested on his side of the table, forming a tower that Shepard had made as had won them.

Wrex slammed his arms down angrily on the table. "Waiting?! You mean cheating! How the hell do you get three royal flushes in one game?!" Wrex yelled.

"Four," Shepard said, flipping the cards on the table over to reveal their values and in correlation with his claim it was a royal flush.

Wrex's eyes bulged in disbelief, his anger almost too much for him. He flipped the table over in a rage, letting out a loud Krogan roar. Poker chips and cards scattered everywhere and the table's legs broke off.

"I still don't get this game, Shepard," Garrus complained, throwing down the cards down on the floor by the broken table.

Shepard sighed. "I'll explain it later. Meanwhile get suited up for full combat; we don't know what's down there. And Wrex? Next time, don't let your tell be so obvious; you squint your eyes when you bluff."

Wrex grumbled as he pulled everything, the table, the cards, and the chips, with his biotic power, reassembling the table and setting everything neatly on the top of it.

"Let's round up the gang, shall we?"

* * *

Kaidan woke up in his bunk, quite suddenly. He felt very relaxed for some reason, though he wasn't sure why. His mind felt very at peace while his body felt warm and cozy. He soon realized that he was not alone in bed, looking down at his side he saw a girl's head, gently resting on his chest as she slept. He looked at her face, so calm and serene, that he was caught in its trance of beauty and tranquility.

After a while, the head stirred, her eyes opening slowly. Kaidan felt the body move under the sheets and he now realized that she had been clutching him with her arms and her legs, like a koala bear. Kaidan also realized that he was naked, in fact they both were, and feeling the warmth of her body on his skin was invigorating.

The girl spoke. "Good morning," she said, a hand coming up to rub her eye sleepily.

Kaidan recognized that voice. "Ashley?" he asked.

Ashley looked at Kaidan strangely, a sleepy and tired look. "Of course, who else did you go to bed with last night?" she said.

Kaidan felt his face get hot, as he remembered what had happened. Ashley had come to apologize, and apparently had other intentions as well, and then Kaidan lost control. The lust and passion had flowed through him in ways he wasn't sure was possible. He now understood why he felt so relaxed.

Kaidan squirmed, trying to get out of Ashley's grip, until she spoke. "Wait," she said, her voice a soft melody in Kaidan's ears. She buried her face back in Kaidan's chest, making him just as uncomfortable.

"Ashley, we can't, we have to get ready," he said worriedly.

"Five more minutes," Ashley said defiantly.

"No, Ashley, now," Kaidan answered sternly.

Kaidan felt Ashley's jaw move, and then felt a searing pain on his chest that made him jump out the bed. "Ooooowwww!" he yelled. He looked down at his chest, inspecting his right nipple to find a fresh bite mark.

"Did you just bite me? What the hell, Ashley?!" Kaidan yelped in shock.

Ashley giggled mischievously. "That was for last night, Romeo," she said as she removed the sheets to display her neck, a red mark was visible on the top of her shoulder. Kaidan's eyes looked at the hickie, and then trailed downward to where Ashley's naked body was displayed. His ogling stare was interrupted by a pair of pants flying into his face.

"Put those on, we have to get ready," said Ashley, suddenly taking a serious tone. She stepped out of the bed, wrapping a shirt around her. Kaidan noticed that it was his as he put on his pants. "Hey, is that my shirt?"

Ashley wore the shirt, which was much too large for her to wear as a shirt, but functioned more as a dress, twirling in a circle to display herself in it. "Why yes, it is. I'll give it back later, when I'm decently dressed myself." She took a light step towards Kaidan, kissing him so softly he was speechless.

"Thank you for last night, Romeo," she said, her voice lovely and pleasant in Kaidan's ears. Kaidan stood in a brain dead state, waiting for the blood to return yet again to his head.

"Let's get ready; Shepard should be waiting for us."

* * *

Shepard stood in the cargo bay, waiting for everyone to arrive. He paced back and forth, going over the objectives in his mind. _Primary objective: Investigate the docks, the living quarters of the natives and the place where the Prothean beacon was found. Secondary objective: Recover the bodies of Spectre Nihlus Kryik and Corporal Richard Jenkins. The appearance of Geth on this mission is quite possible, though not a large force if at all. My guess is that there will be nothing to find, but my gut tells me to look for something. Anderson said to trust my instincts, so that's what I'm going to do._

Garrus and Wrex stood leaning against the cargo bay door, Tali stood fiddling with her shotgun.

Finally, Ashley and Kaidan came running up to the group.

"Where were you?" Shepard asked the pair.

"Commander, we were-" Ashley began.

Shepard cut her off. "I wasn't asking you, Williams, I was asking the Lieutenant here. Now I'll ask you again: where were you?" Shepard said, his voice a low growl.

Kaidan stiffened, and then spoke. "We were getting ready, but were delayed. I have no excuse for being late," Kaidan said, his face blank.

"You're damn right you don't have an excuse! I told you to get down here in full gear, and you take twice as long as rest of the team?" Shepard leaned in close to Kaidan. "What kind of example of the Alliance, of humanity, does this set for our alien comrades? The point of this mission is to prove our worth to the galaxy, and that can't happen when you pull shit like this."

"Won't happen again, Commander," said Kaidan sternly.

Shepard stepped back, satisfied with Kaidan's response. "Good, because I need you frosty as a blizzard today."

"Commander?" Kaidan asked.

Shepard turned around. "All right, everybody is here; let's go over the mission parameters. First off, this is reconnaissance mission, purely for information gathering, but there's a chance some Geth might still be lurking around, so keep your eyes peeled. We'll have two groups, one searching the dock area, the other checking out the living quarters. We'll move together to the docks, and then split off from there."

Shepard pointed to Ashley. "Williams, are you still familiar with the geography of Eden Prime?"

"Yes sir, I am," she answered.

"Good. You, Garrus and Kaidan will check out the living quarters, see if you can't find anything about the numbers or tactics of the Geth. Kaidan, you're in charge, don't let me down," Shepard pointed to Kaidan, nodding firmly to him. Kaidan nodded back confidently.

"Wrex and Tali, you'll be with me. We're going to see what we can find at the docks, and then move out to the area where the Prothean beacon was last seen," said Shepard.

"Right behind you Shepard," said Wrex.

Shepard continued. "The main thing we're looking for is evidence, anything that can give us a trail, or any data that can be gathered. We will also attempt to recover the bodies of the fallen: the natives of Eden Prime, Williams' unit, Corporal Jenkins, and Nihlus Kryik. If not for evidence or data, then for reverence and respect for the dead. Everybody understand their job?"

The five people nodded.

"Good, let's get to it."

* * *

**To Airam, for sticking with me.**


	11. Chapter 11: A First Step

**This chapter has got some more character development some fun parts, and some sad ones. I've been noticing a lack of violence and enemies in the stories lately, so expect a lot of explosions, gunfire and general ass kicking in the next chapter. Hope you like this one, and as always, Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

The surface of Eden Prime was still burning when they arrived. In the distance lines of black smoke were visible, like scars on the once gorgeous skyline, tarnishing the beauty of the forested mountains. The area had smelled like a cool mountain wind, fresh pine needles and clean, delicious air. Now there was only the horrid smell of firearms and the putrid stench of burning bodies. What was a place of joy, of nature and peace, was now a corrupted haven, a true Eden gone bad. Everywhere Ashley stepped , every time she put her foot down on the trail, there were already hundreds of footprints imprinted into the soft ground. She sighed, steeling herself to what was to come. _I never thought I'd be coming back here, not after what had happened, _she thought.

"Williams, eyes front," commanded Shepard.

Ashley shook off her fear and anxiety. "Yes sir!" she answered strongly.

"I know it's hard, Williams, but just remember the reason we're here is to find the guy who killed them. Keep that image in your mind, it'll help ease the pain," advised Shepard, sensing what she was feeling.

Ashley took those words to heart. She knew that Shepard had been there before; she could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, and even see it in his body as he moved. _He's lost a lot of people, many very dear to him, _she thought.

She tried envisioning a piece of evidence they could use against Saren, something to track him down to wherever he was in the Galaxy, and catching him completely off guard. She imagined his face in utter shock as she let loose her assault rifle, rounds tearing through flesh and armor, ripping off limbs and breaking bones apart, his mouth agape in a scream of terror. She imagined the corpse he would leave behind, a bloody blue mess that would look like a chicken dinner after all the meat was eaten out of it. She smiled. _Shepard was right: it did help._

* * *

The team arrived at the docks. The flat metallic area was clean, completely devoid of any evidence of the Geth that Shepard, Kaidan, and Ashley had destroyed. The area looked almost suspiciously clear, as if a battle hadn't occurred her at all.

"They cleaned it up, and by the looks of it, they did it well," Shepard stated.

"They must've been busy while we were trying to disarm those charges," Kaidan mused.

Shepard knelt down, his hand tracing a spot of the silver colored floor. "Garrus, over here!" he yelled.

Garrus hustled over to where Shepard knelt. "What is it?" he asked.

Shepard turned his head to look at Garrus. "This is where Nihlus laid dead."

Garrus knelt down as well, tapping on his omni tool. A light projected from it, Garrus pointed it to where Shepard indicated. The light shone over the spot, illuminating a portion of the metal floor in an oblong puddle like shape. Garrus turned off the light on his omni tool. "Indeed it is. They took the body, cleaned up the blood, but didn't eliminate the remains of his blood on the floor's surface. They must have been in a rush."

"They probably were. Their original plan was to blow up the station and the surrounding buildings, but after we disarmed them, they were forced to clean up the scene," Shepard pointed out.

Kaidan stepped closer, eager to put in his two cents. "Yes, but what did they do with the bodies? It's understandable that they'd remove them, but they must've disposed of them somehow."

"Perhaps they piled the bodies in a pit somewhere and torched it?" Garrus suggested.

"I don't think so. Kaidan, do you remember those blue metallic looking zombies? They ones that tried to run at us rather than using a firearm? I don't think they were built by the Geth," Shepard said.

Ashley spoke up this time. "I remember! They had these tripods, and they would put people on top of them, and a spike would impale them through the chest!"

"Did you see what happened to the people on the spikes after they were impaled? Were they still alive?" asked Shepard.

Ashley shook her head. "No, I, I was too busy trying to get away. I know they did it to people while they were alive, but some the impaled were already dead."

"Well it's a start," Shepard said.

"Are you suggesting that those, things, were human?" Kaidan asked.

"They were definitely human like. They had two eyes, five fingers on each hand, a human jaw and teeth. They moved like humans for the most part. I don't think the Geth built them, do you?" Shepard debated.

"So then Saren has some sort of 'robotification machine', that can turn humans into robot zombies? This mission gets worse and worse," Garrus said.

"I'm not saying anything until I can prove it. I'm only drawing connections between the fate of the dead bodies and the appearance of those 'husks'. For now, it's just a theory," Shepard stated.

"Perhaps you should review the video footage on the core I found," suggested Tali.

Shepard pointed to Tali in confirmation. "That's definitely a good idea. Speaking of that video, where are we on our mystery matriarch, Garrus?"

Garrus checked his omni tool, a pointed claw scrolling through the holographic list projected by it. "Well, I have her identity, for the most part. I'd have to wait for all the data to come through though, considering we need more than a name."

"What is her name, for the record?" Shepard asked.

"Matriarch Benezia. Apparently, she's quite famous, hence the time it's taking to gather all the data on her. She has one daughter, according to C-Sec records," Garrus stated, reading off his omni tool.

Shepard's eyebrow rose. "Really?"

Garrus looked up. "Yeah, did you want me to pull up some info on her, too?"

"Yes, but after you've finished getting all of the data on Benezia first. Maybe it will be easier to find her daughter, and then use her to trace Benezia. Once we have Benezia, we can use her to track down Saren," Shepard surmised.

"Sounds like a plan, Commander," stated Kaidan.

"Yes, yes it does. Take your group and check out the station, Kaidan. You're in charge now, you hear?" Shepard said.

"Yes sir," answered Kaidan.

Shepard motioned to Kaidan to come closer. He spoke quietly, so that only Kaidan could hear. "And go easy on Ashley; she might have some painful memories connected to this station."

"Got it," said Kaidan with a firm nod.

"Good. Move out!" Shepard commanded

Kaidan, followed by Ashley and Garrus, jogged over in the direction of the Alliance station and living quarters, leaving Shepard with Tali and Wrex.

* * *

Ashley led the group to the living quarters, walking along the path while deep in thought. It had not been very long since she had been on the planet, but to Ashley it felt like years. Kaidan sensed her troubled thoughts, catching up to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, I'm right here with you," he spoke softly in her ear.

Ashley nodded, her body relaxing as the feeling from Kaidan's hand calmed her down. She smiled comfortably.

Garrus looked at the pair, squinting slightly, and then posed a blunt question.

"Are you guys having sex?"

Kaidan and Ashley turned to Garrus with faces completely stupefied. Kaidan began babbling meaningless questions. "How did, what the, how the, when the hell did you, wha-what?" he asked, the words jumbling up in his mouth.

Ashley spoke with more sense, her voice taking a slightly angry tone. "You don't understand half the things we say, yet you pick out the two people who are sleeping together like nothing?! How the hell did you pick up on that?! That doesn't even make sense."

Garrus raised his hands in a passive stance. "Turians have sex too, you know. You humans say idioms I've never heard of and make references to things I've never seen, so don't expect me to understand you in that respect, but sex is pretty universal from species to species. I mean, it's pretty easy behavior to point out."

"But how could you even, what gave it away?" Kaidan asked his speech now rational enough to form complete sentences.

"Well, the concern you have for one another is way past just friends, the way you to go to each other's aid makes it really obvious you two are lovers, and your body language projects what you're thinking, so there's that. By far, this is the easiest thing to understand about humans," Garrus said, shrugging his shoulders.

Kaidan's hand swung upward, slapping himself in the face.

"See, that right there, really hard to understand," said Garrus, pointing at Kaidan's face palm. "Sex is pretty easy to understand, slapping yourself in the face isn't."

"Look, just don't tell the Commander, ok?" Ashley pleaded.

"Why not?" Garrus asked, confused.

"Because he, just don't do it ok?" Ashley stated.

"Alright, I won't tell him. I guess this is the part of human sexuality I'm not going to understand," Garrus mumbled.

Satisfied, Ashley turned back to the trail, recognizing her surroundings.

"We're here," she stated stiffly.

The area Ashley indicated at was a large flat place where several metal buildings resided. The area was a wide clearing, a perfect spot for a settlement without disturbing the forest. The buildings weren't anything special; just basic accommodations for settlers on the outer rim, but they got the job done. _Well, technically that didn't get the job done, considering the fate of its occupants_, thought Kaidan.

The buildings were organized into three groups, in each group were two rows of houses, facing inwards, making a clear path in between the houses like hallways. Each metal house had its own front yard area, which some settlers had chosen to decorate with white picket fences and pink flamingoes. At the North side of the camp was a large military building with an Alliance logo on it, obviously the barracks Ashley was stationed at.

Ashley stood, looking at the barracks in a blank, endless stare.

"Garrus, how about you check out some of the houses, see if you can't find any diary logs or something," Kaidan commanded.

"Ok, I'll see what I can find," said Garrus, walking in the direction opposite of the barracks.

Kaidan walked up to where Ashley stood, her back facing him. He spoke softly, unsure of how to proceed. "Hey, Williams, let's go," he said with a nudge.

Ashley blinked, turning to look at Kaidan, almost coming out a trance. "Oh sorry, Kaidan, I was somewhere else," she said apologetically.

"Kaidan? It's Lieutenant Alenko to you, Williams," Kaidan said with a smirk.

Ashley's face brightened up. She punched Kaidan in the arm, a punch that Ashley didn't hold much back on, as Kaidan cringed, his hand clutching his arm instinctively.

"Ohhh, we're all 'Lieutenant' and 'Alenko' and 'Williams' today? We're in business mode, trying to act professional now that the Commander has put you in charge? Getting pretty full of yourself, are we, Jedi?" Ashley mocked Kaidan's words.

"Jedi? Is that what you're calling me now, gun freak?" Kaidan said, smiling through the pain, clearly still enjoying the conversation.

Ashley looked hurt for a second. "Gun freak? How dare you!" she shouted, trying to punch Kaidan as he evaded her strikes. He ran off in the direction of the barracks, a smile on his face and a laugh in the air, Ashley chasing after him.

Garrus watched the two from a distance, scanning a piece of hardware with his omni tool as he watched. Finding it useless, he threw it over his shoulder, shaking his head as he did so. "Humans," Garrus said under his breath as he continued to search for more evidence.

* * *

"How are those scans going?" asked Shepard.

Tali stood up, turning from her position above the floor to look at Shepard. "Not good, Shepard. There's barely anything to find here, and even less incentive to search for anything. It's all been cleaned up for the most part, or hidden in one way or another," Tali said glumly.

"Swept under the rug, huh?" Sheppard muttered.

Wrex spoke while he held up a large metal plate that Tali had wanted to look under. "We shouldn't waste time looking for evidence we don't need. We know who we want, we know why, and we should be out looking for where he is," Wrex lectured.

"I didn't come here looking for evidence, Wrex; I came here to see how Saren operates," Shepard stated plainly.

"What are you saying, Shepard?" Tali asked, turning from the piece of ground that had caught her eye before.

Shepard turned inward to explain. "I'm saying that rather than find out where he is or what he's up to, we should find out where he's going and how he's going to get there. If we know how this guy works, how he gets what he wants, we can trace his movements and hit him where and when he is at his most weakest."

"How do you figure, Shepard?" asked Wrex.

"I've been thinking about it for a while: his plan on Eden Prime was to find the Prothean artifact and blow up the entire station afterward, but if he came here for the beacon, why did he leave it here where my team and I could find it? Did Saren want the artifact, or just the information on it? It seems that whatever was on that artifact was important enough to lead a full blown attack on a human colony, kill Nihlus Kryik, and attempt to cover up anything that could point to him as the culprit. Instead of using his Spectre status to access the beacon himself, sweeping any authority in his way to the side, he opted for a surprise attack on a colony. He didn't just want that information, what he wanted was a war with the Terminus systems, from either the Council or the Alliance, something that could serve as a distraction while he went about his business. He likes to strike from the shadows and his strengths are secrecy and espionage. He's avoided confrontation so far, though his tactics might change as he gets closer to his goal."

Wrex folded his arms, leaning on his rear leg, his eyes thoughtful. "Tactics, huh?" he mumbled softly.

"His actions show his true motives. He's looking for something, but he doesn't want anyone hampering his search nor does he want anyone keeping tabs on what he's doing. His ideal conditions were to have Council space in disorder while he flew around trying to find what he's looking for, which means whatever he's planning must involve the Council races somehow. He'll kill anyone who has information on him once they cease to be useful to his cause, and that means that we need to find someone who Saren wants dead," Shepard explained.

"Well, I'm talking to one right here," Wrex chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true, you're pretty lucky to be alive, Shepard," said Tali.

Shepard eyes looked at Tali with a sly face. "You're one to talk, Tali. Besides, luck had nothing to do with it."

Wrex slapped Shepard on the back with a hearty laugh. "Hahahaha! The boy survives a couple of hopeless situations and now he thinks he's bulletproof, huh?"

"Hey, I call them like I see them. Anyway, let's go find those kids, see what trouble they've gotten caught up in."

* * *

Ashley and Kaidan walked through the halls of the Alliance barracks. It was eerie to Ashley; she had just been here, at this very station, not but a couple of days ago, and now so much had changed. A thin layer of dust covered everything, evidence that the barracks was truly deserted. The desks were messy, in the same state they were left in, and in the mess area there was food, now rotten and spoiled, without even one bite taken out of it.

Ashley closed her eyes, recalling the memory of it all, the noise of the alarm that sounded throughout the barracks, the rush of everyone to their lockers, slapping on their combat gear, their weapons at hand, and the question that was on everyone's tongues even though they held them silent. _What set off the alarm? What was out there, waiting for us? Will it be dangerous? Will we come back alive? _All these questions had gone through Ashley's head during the rush outside the barracks, up until she saw the Geth shooting her comrades down like clay pigeons.

Ashley opened her eyes, trying not to think about what happened to her unit. She wanted to stay positive, especially while on a mission, but also in the presence of Kaidan. _He's sharper than he acts, _she thought to herself. She rubbed her shoulder with her hand, remembering the comforting feel of Kaidan's hand on her it, Kaidan's voice flowing tender words into her ear, so close she could feel his breathe on her neck. _Get a grip, girl! You're in the middle of a mission, maybe not an exciting mission, but a mission nonetheless, and you can't be going on your perverted daydreams, ok? Though, that doesn't mean you can't make plans for after the mission…_

Ashley shook her head, trying to shake herself sober and focused. She happened to look over and see a locker room that caught her eye. She walked in, slowly remembering the layout of the barracks as her mind focused back on the mission. She stepped into a hallway, taking a left, like she always did after her shift was over, and found her locker.

Ashley smiled, looking at the cruddy locker with nostalgia. The beat up metal panel had been there possibly since the barrack's founding. She fingered the lock, an old mechanical lock, rotating to side, counterclockwise. _5, 37, 8, _she thought, twisting the locks display, landing on each number momentarily before proceeding to the next. When she reached the number eight, the lock clicked, she pressed the lever and pulled the door open. She was greeted by a putrid smell of stinking sweat, so vile that she had to turn away with a cringe. _I still had sweats I needed to wash in here. I guess I forgot, _she thought.

Pulling the old sweat pants and shirt out, mildew settling in on its fabric, and chunking them into a nearby garbage can, Ashley managed to bear the remaining smell enough to investigate the remaining contents of her locker. _Wow, I forgot how important all the stuff in here was, _she thought, pulling out a metal tin cigar box from the top section of her locker. She opened the metal box, and was instantly reminded of what was in it. She reached inside, removing an old picture, slightly yellowed in old age. It displayed a soldier, proudly saluting in full uniform. _Hey there dad, _she thought, rubbing the picture intimately with her finger. She looked under it for another, more recent picture of her father with all of her sisters. The picture had Ashley's father in the center, while surrounded by all four of his daughters. Every girl in the picture had a smile on her face, but the biggest smile was on her father's face. _The gang's all here._

"Williams, I think I found something!" shouted Kaidan from down the corridor from another room.

Ashley jerked slightly, putting the pictures back into the box and closing it. She placed the box into a bag that was in her locker, along with some other miscellaneous items she wanted to take with her. As she slung the bag over her shoulder, Kaidan walked into the locker room.

"Hey, did you hear me, I think I found something very- oh god what is that stench!?" Kaidan yelled in pain, his fingers clamped over his nostrils.

Ashley looked guiltily around, feigning ignorance and avoiding eye contact. "I don't know, maybe an air purifier malfunctioned or something. You never know with these old buildings."

"Well, let's go meet with Shepard, he'll want to see what I found. I wonder where Garrus is up to," Kaidan asked.

"Being bored out of my freaking mind. There's nothing in those houses, but pictures of dead family members and tacky wallpapers. I trust you found something of more use, Alenko?" Garrus asked hopefully.

A smile spread across Kaidan's face. "Why yes, I did find something of use," he said smoothly, tapping his omni tool gently.

Garrus tapped his omni tool, receiving whatever Kaidan had sent him. His eyebrow plates rose and his mandibles spread open in a manner Ashley would associate with amazement.

"Oh yes, this will prove very useful."

* * *

Both teams had met back up on the Normandy. Shepard was satisfied with the mission's outcome, despite his heavy doubt that they would find anything of use. He looked over to the large box with an Alliance insignia engraved on it. _At least I can send him home, _he thought to himself.

"Commander, have we got some stuff to show you!" Kaidan exclaimed.

"Indeed Shepard, this is something you'll definitely want to see," Garrus added.

The two talked excitedly together to Shepard. _Putting them together in a group was a good idea. They're like a buddy cop pair; one's a straight lace stickler for rules, the other is a renegade badass._

"Alright you two, just give me a minute," Shepard said to the pair. He glanced back down at the box, laying a hand on it ceremoniously. _Goodbye, Jenkins, you naïve son of a bitch, _he thought. He let out a breath, took his hand off the box, and walked over to the pair.

"Ok, ok, now what is it?" Shepard asked, his mood lightening up due to the elated attitudes of his comrades.

"At the barracks, a video was recorded right before the attack," said Garrus.

"And guess what came up on that recording!" Kaidan cheered.

A hologram popped up on Kaidan's omni tool, showing the Eden Prime horizon. Nothing was out of the ordinary, until number of black dots came into view. They grew increasingly bigger until they were easily identified as a group of ships, most likely Geth designed. Though one ship in particular caught Shepard's eye.

"Freeze the frame, would you Kaidan?" Shepard said. The video froze, Shepard pointed at the ship he found to be a much different make and model than the other Geth war ships. It was much larger than any other in the group, a black purple color, it had a squid or bacteria like design, and it was eerily smooth in its movements as it hovered above the surface of Eden Prime. The Geth warships were far less controlled, almost clumsy compared to this unknown alien behemoth.

"Zoom in and follow this ship as the video progresses," Shepard instructed. He watched as the mysterious ship came down from the heavens like a metal beast from another dimension, so evil and strange. It banked and turned, positioning itself exactly where it needed to be with extreme precision. Shepard watched with interest as a hatch on the bottom of the ship opened up, a smaller personal hover craft floating down like a halo of the damned to the forest below, a single figure standing on it.

"Pause, zoom in and enhance on that figure," Shepard said, not taking his eyes off the screen for a second.

Kaidan tapped his omni tool, the hologram zooming into the obscured figure. As the picture got closer and the resolution became more detailed, Shepard gritted his teeth. "Son of a bitch," said under his breath.

The figure was none other than the former Spectre Saren Arterius, smugly standing with his arms folded as he descended to the surface of Eden Prime.

"I know we already know that Saren is involved on the attack on Eden Prime, but this proves he was there personally," said Garrus.

"And that means he was the one that shot Nihlus," added Kaidan.

"More than just that, Saren has access to this, monster, a ship even I'm not familiar with. We need to get it analyzed, see what kind of propulsion system it might have, what kind of weapons it might point at us, and figure out where the hell he got it. Send a copy of this video to the council, see if they can't do anything with it," Shepard said.

"That's not all we have, Shepard," Garrus said.

Shepard's eyebrow rose. "You have more?"

"Yes I do. While we were on the mission, the data transfer from C-Sec network finished. I have all the information you could ever want on Benezia," Garrus bragged.

"Except where her location is," Shepard pointed out glumly.

"No, I have that too. According to records, she made a trip to Noveria recently, and I mean very recently. I also have her daughter's location as well, she happens to be situated in the Artemis Tau Cluster, looking for some Prothean ruins," Garrus recited from memory.

Shepard whistled. He was impressed with Garrus; in a mission like this it was definitely worth having a C-Sec detective onboard. "Alright then, send the information to my omni tool, let me look over it before I decide which planet to go to first. I think it would make more sense to apprehend Benezia's daughter considering her specialty in Prothean ruins, perhaps she's been doing some independent research for Saren, looking for this 'Conduit'. What do you think?

"Either planet has something we need, and we need to hit both of them quickly. I'd say go to Noveria first, Benezia's daughter might be in the ruins for a long time, while Benezia could be in and out of Noveria in a couple of days. It's your call though, Shepard," Garrus said.

"I agree, either would benefit us, though Benezia seems to be more useful as Saren's apparent second in command. It'd be nice to get a picture of what we're up against exactly, so going for her daughter may give us leverage over Benezia," said Kaidan.

Shepard turned and thought deeply about which Asari to go for first. _My mind says to go straight for Noveria, take out Benezia in one shot while the opportunity still presents itself, but my gut is telling me something else. My gut tells me to find her daughter first for some reason, why I'm not sure, but I feel it in my blood, in my bones, for whatever reason I need to go to the Artemis Tau Cluster._

"We're heading to the Artemis Tau Cluster. Find out what you can about her daughter. What's her name, by the way?" Shepard asked.

"Dr. Liara T'Soni," Garrus said.

"Well then, let's pay the good doctor a visit, shall we?"

* * *

Garrus worked arduously on the mechanics on the bottom of the Mako. The Normandy would reach their destination soon, and the Mako would be needed to seek out Dr. T'Soni planet side, but Garrus hadn't finished his modifications and upgrades to it yet. _I can't hamper this mission in any way, the Council, the Citadel, the Chief, Shepard, they're all counting on me, _Garrus thought, angrily twisting and fiddling with various parts on the Mako's under berth. He heard footsteps coming closer, human footsteps, but too heavy to be Ashley's. He rolled out from underneath the vehicle, expecting to see Shepard but instead saw Kaidan.

"Oh, hello Lieutenant Alenko, how is going?" Garrus asked awkwardly.

"Good. Better than you are, apparently," Kaidan commented.

Garrus chuckled, rolling back under the Mako. He continued talking as he still fiddled with engines. "Yeah this armored truck looks pretty useful, so I asked Shepard if I could make some upgrades to it. He seems like a pretty laid back guy, that Shepard," Garrus said.

"Well that only applies when it doesn't affect the mission. You should see him when a situation gets tight," Kaidan said.

"I supposed as much. I'm sure we will get caught in something that gets his blood boiling, and then I'll get to see the great 'Black Dog' in action. Not that I haven't already seen him make some moves before," Garrus said.

"Yeah he gets pretty intense in battle. He's always been like that, nonchalant on the ship but deadly precise out in the field," Kaidan said.

"Just how long have you worked with the Commander, Lieutenant?" asked Garrus.

"About six months now. I was very excited when I got a position aboard the Normandy, back when Captain Anderson was in charge. When I met Shepard, I had a feeling that he would be a jerk, thinking that all the fame and glory would go to his head, but I was sorely mistaken. He is, amazingly competent, so much that a perfectionist like me almost couldn't stand it. Everything he faces gets torn down by some plan, a tactic, and well thought out maneuver that he comes up with on the fly. I was jealous for a while, but then I realized he was better than me, and rather than being bitter, I should accept his leadership and try to learn from him. So far, it's done me a lot of good."

"Sounds like you two have a lot of experience together," said Garrus.

"Not that much. We never really had missions like this before. It was always a routine patrol, some sort of public service or something like that, not really a straight up fight like this mission. It's the first time I've had someone on my team die…" Kaidan trailed off.

Garrus keep quiet, sensing a sore spot in Kaidan's psyche, opting to try to fix something else under the Mako. Garrus' hand slipped, the tool clutched in it stabbed into one of the various tubes, spraying steaming coolant all over the floor. Garrus leapt out from under the Mako, half from shock and half from anger.

"Spirits, this infernal machine! Why can't I get this piece of junk working?!" Garrus yelled kicking the metal panel on the side of the truck.

"What's this? The young Turian Pyjak can't seem to get the truck working?" Wrex's voice rumbled behind Kaidan.

"It does seem to be eluding him, despite his best attempts," Kaidan pointed out.

"Think you can do better, Merc?" Garrus sneered.

It was odd to see Garrus so agitated, but Kaidan supposed that no one could be so neutral for so long without popping a gasket. He just hoped that Garrus didn't start anything with Wrex; Kaidan wasn't sure if he could hold the two apart with his biotics completely, nor was he sure that he wanted to.

Wrex stepped forward and sneered right back, getting into Garrus' face. "As a matter of fact, I do. You see, unlike a spoiled Turian C-Sec officer, I've worked with machines that don't come with their own instruction manual. Step aside, youngling!"

Wrex walked past Garrus over to the Mako and began raising the side of it up with the hydraulic jack. Garrus stood and watched, his arms folded, clearly displeased.

Wrex crawled under the Mako, messing with various bits and pieces. He stuck out his hand from under the vehicle, clearly indicating a need for a particular tool. "Hey, Turian boy, get me something to catch this coolant, there's no point in letting it spill on the floor."

Grumbling as he did, Garrus grabbed a nearby metal basin, handing to Wrex's hand.

Wrex pulled it in and assumingly placed it under the coolant leak as the sound of liquid pouring could be heard. "Good, now that we got that leak taken care of, we can take a look at the problem with the engines. Now I see you've been trying to make upgrades on the thrusters down here, am I right?" Wrex asked.

"Yes, what I've been trying to is-" Garrus began.

Wrex cut in. "Is narrow the exhaust to increase the lifting power of the thrusters. A good idea, but that would lower the stability that you get with wider exhausts, and once you flip over, your enemies will pop your little Turian head like a pimple."

"Then we'll increase the power of the thrusters by adding thicker fuel lines," Garrus answered

"But that would lead to a larger consumption of power, and it would take longer to recharge after each usage," Wrex corrected.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Garrus asked desperately.

Wrex looked a Garrus, the wisdom in his eyes hinting that he already knew the answer.

"Get under here, kid, I'll explain how we're going to make this truck the baddest hunk of metal on the battlefield," Wrex said with a chuckle.

Shrugging his shoulders, Garrus bent down and crawled under the Mako, now much easier with the hydraulic jacks lifting the side of it high enough to fit Wrex's hump.

Kaidan watched as the two aliens talked while crawled under the Mako, making adjustments to the engines systems. Shepard walked over to Kaidan, intent on inquiry.

"What's going on? Are Garrus and Wrex fighting under there somehow?" Shepard asked Kaidan.

Kaidan pulled out chocolate candy bar from his pocket, and began eating it as he watched the two work. "No, Garrus was trying to upgrade the Mako's thrusters and Wrex decided to help, though I think the roles are reversed now. Wrex seems to know a lot about armored trucks, based on the way he's been talking to Garrus."

Shepard looked from Kaidan as he nonchalantly ate his candy bar to Wrex and Garrus as they worked on the Mako. The two crawled back out, and Garrus was positively livid.

"Amazing! So if we can motorize the exhausts to widen and narrow on command, we can pilot the Mako much more accurately!" Garrus exclaimed.

Wrex chuckled, his laugh deep and loud. "Exactly, and with that we can float or fly around or whatever the hell we want to do."

Shepard stepped in. "Alright guys, what the hell? When did you start working together?" Shepard asked.

"Well, I was having a hard time fixing up the Mako, and Wrex here stepped in to help me," Garrus said.

"You had the right idea, but just the wrong way of getting it done. You got to be careful when you make adjustments like that or you'll blow yourself up before your enemy does. And then you'll have more than just a nice facial scar," Wrex said.

Shepard was confused as he saw that the formerly hostile attitude had melted into a friendly discussion about engine parts. "Ok then,… I trust the Mako will be ready by the time we get planet side?" Shepard asked.

Both Garrus and Wrex smiled.

"It won't be ready Shepard. After we're done with it, this truck will take out so many Geth, it's going to have a bounty on its head," said Garrus.

"For what we've got planned, this metal monster will need all terrain wheels to drive over the piles of Geth we kill in it," Wrex chuckled.

"Well, that sounds like my kind of truck! I can't wait to drive it then," Shepard said with enthusiasm. His omni tool beeped, and Joker's voice came on the intercom.

"Commander, we entered the Artemis Tau Cluster, and we got a distress call coming from the Knossis system, from a planet called Therum."

"Yeah and?" Shepard replied.

"You better hear this," Joker stated, putting the distress call onto the intercom.

Throughout the grainy recording were loud explosions and gunfire. A young woman's voice spoke, very robotically yet still clearly troubled. "This is Dr. Liara T'Soni, I repeat, this is Dr. Liara T'Soni, I am currently located in the Prothean ruins on Therum, and several Geth have begun attacking me and my team. I have fought off some of their forces, but there are far too many for me to fight off. I require assistance, repeat, I require assistance. Goddess help us."

"It seems that the doctor needs our help more than we need hers," Shepard stated.

"I don't know Shepard, it seems like a trap to me," Garrus warned.

"I agree, and a good one at that. They went with the classic 'Damsel in distress' bait, and you know how weak you are to that, Commander," Kaidan said, half joking.

"Alenko, let me remind you that I have been a soldier for ten years now, and every time I get a distress call or an SOS from some remote location that seems like a trap, it is always a trap. I didn't survive all those times by wondering whether or not it was a trap, I just assumed it was and went in anyway. Nine times out of ten, I was right, and ten times out of ten I had the jump on my attackers because I knew exactly what I was walking into. If the people trying to kill me think I'm stupid enough to walk into something like this not expecting something fishy, then I'll let them think I'm stupid and kill them when the first opportunity presents itself," Shepard explained.

Garrus raised a hand in question. "I'm sorry, but 'fishy'?"

"It means suspicious," Kaidan answered.

"Oh, that makes a bit of sense, I suppose. Wait, no it doesn't," said Garrus.

Shepard continued. "So anyway, we go in, see what the situation is, see whether or not Dr. T'Soni is really in trouble, grab her dead or alive, kill any Geth we see, and bust out of there like a bat out of hell."

"Really? 'Bat out of hell'? What is that even supposed to mean?" Garrus asked.

"It means we're gonna get out of there like we've caught our pants on fire," Kaidan answered.

"Exactly. Suit up and strap down. And fix that Mako to be the death machine you promised me, I want one of those Geth flashlight heads as a hood ordainment."

* * *

**To my best friend Airam.**


	12. Chapter 12: Hot Times and Heroics

**Bill here! I wasn't kidding when I said this next chapter would be full of killing. I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I'm sure you're going to have a lot fun reading it. This Chapter has the mission on Therum to find Liara. Leave a review if you liked the chapter. As always, Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

The entire team was strapped into the Mako, the five point seatbelts sure to keep them stable despite any jostling experienced during the ride. Tali was sitting in the copilot's chair, working the Mako's computer, keeping track of the shields and power supply. Wrex sat in the gunner's seat, eagerly awaiting the appearance of anything that was made of metal and needed killing. Shepard sat in the driver's seat, awaiting contact from Joker.

"Alright Commander, we're coming up on the surface of Therum. I found a flat place that you can land the Mako on," Joker said on the comm link.

"Now, you're sure we can do this? Have you done this before?" Shepard asked worriedly.

"Sure Commander, I've done it a thousand times in simulations," answered Joker.

"This isn't a simulation, Joker," Shepard replied sternly.

"But I never got to try it because no one would volunteer to ride in the Mako to get dropped. They said something about not wanting to get crippled by the crippled kid. But this maneuver is as easy as pie, Commander, honest," Joker promised.

"If he messes this up, we'll be the pie in this situation, not that any of that makes sense," Garrus said glumly.

"Screw it, we'll try this out. But Joker, if you kill me, I'll come back to life and make fun of the way you walk," Shepard warned.

"Hey, not cool, I'm pretty sensitive about that…" Joker said jokingly. "Ok Commander, on my mark, three, two, one, Launch!"

The Mako shot forward out of the Cargo Bay, past the open door of the Normandy into the sky of Therum. Shepard gunned it; he did not want to flip while they flew to the surface, considering he didn't want to die, but also he didn't want to do so in a puddle of his own vomit.

The Mako flew out of the Normandy's doors, the thrusters kicking in to stabilize its descent.

"See how good the thrusters are in keeping the mako stable? We amped up the power but added some fuel regulators for better efficiency," Garrus bragged.

"Just wait till you see what we did to the gun, Shepard," Wrex chuckled evilly.

"Can we just focus on the mission for now, and not talk about the fact that we're falling possibly to our deaths?" Kaidan asked queasily, clenching hard on the arm rests beside him.

Ashley teased him with a sadistic look on her face. "Aww, is the Jedi not used to going on roller coasters? What's a matter, gonna hurl?"

"Williams, if Alenko throws up in here, I'm putting you on vomit clean up duty, got it?" Shepard said sternly.

"Aww, you're no fun, Shepard," said Ashley, disappointed.

"I'm no fun, am I? Well take a look at who decided to come out and play," said Shepard.

On the main screen, Shepard viewed the burnt rocky environment of Therum, red triangles lighting up here and there.

"We got Geth Armatures. Six of them, Shepard," said Tali.

The Mako stabilized, the nose pointed in the general direction of the Geth. "Wrex! Let them have it!" yelled Shepard.

"Ha ha!" Wrex yelled, firing off the Mako's cannon. The round shot over the Mako with a white line of smoke, in the direction of one of the red triangles.

"Five," Tali corrected.

Wrex let loose the Mako's machine gun, laughing as he did.

"Shepard, we got incoming fire, those rounds will sap our power supply, avoid them at all costs!" Tali exclaimed.

"Got it, taking evasive maneuvers," Shepard said calmly. He shifted the controls from side to side, the thrusters moving the Mako in a serpentine pattern as it continued its descent.

"I like how the thrusters are working out so far. Tell me if you want me to tighten or loosen the controls any, Shepard," said Garrus happily.

"Kinda busy right now Garrus, I'll tell you what I think later!" Shepard shouted as he scrambled the Mako's path as best as he could.

"Take this you oversized flashlights!" shouted Wrex as he continued firing off the Mako's cannon.

"Shepard! The Armatures have locked on to you! You got to take evasive maneuvers!" Tali exclaimed.

"I see them, Shepard. Do a barrel roll!" shouted Joker over the comm link.

"But I, ok then…" Shepard said. The Mako drifted to the left, the thrusters on its right side pushing harder for a moment. While the Mako was tilted to its left, Shepard fired off the left side thrusters, lifting it and spinning the Mako over its right side. Kaidan moaned terribly as the Mako twisted over in a complete arc, the Armature's rounds passing under the Mako.

"Aww yeah, Commander! Just like pilot school!" Joker shouted, clearly impressed.

"That one goes out to you Joker! Tali, how many Geth are left?" Shepard asked.

"Just one, Shepard," Tali answered.

"Wrex, how strong did you say the hull was?" Shepard asked.

"Strong enough to stay intact on impact with the planet if we didn't have thrusters. Can't say anything about everyone inside, thought," Wrex said.

"Good enough for me," said Shepard. He guided the Mako towards the final red triangle, dodging the shots fired from it. As they got closer to the surface, the Armature became much more visible, its metal carapace shining in the light. Shepard guided the Mako towards the final Armature's direction.

"Shepard, what are you doing?" Kaidan asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Trust me," answered Shepard.

"I do, but what are you doing, that seems very-" Kaidan began.

"It's too late to turn back now! Geronimo!" Shepard shouted.

Kaidan felt his body change, he no longer felt like he was falling, in fact it felt he was rising up for a moment. The moment was gone as the Mako fell back down again, cushioned by the thrusters, landing safely on the rocky terrain.

Shepard opened up the Mako's side door, letting Kaidan get out for some much needed air. Shepard stepped out of the driver's seat, walking over to where the last Armature lay, admiring his own work.

"I love the smell of pancakes in the morning," he said with pride.

Kaidan knelt down, vomiting as Ashley rubbed his back to comfort him. Kaidan raised his head to look at Shepard, wiping his mouth with his gauntlet.

"Did you, did you land on top of that, thing?" Kaidan asked in disbelief.

"I didn't land on it, I bounced off of it," Shepard corrected.

Kaidan put his head down again; suddenly the urge to vomit came up again.

"Tali, what's the Mako's condition?" Shepard asked.

"All nominal, Shepard. The kinetic shields took most of the blow. But please warn me before you something else like that, if I vomit I have to clean it out of my suit," Tali pleaded.

"Duly noted," Shepard answered.

"Commander, I'm picking up some strange readings. Really strange. Like, off the damn charts." Joker said.

"Well, we better get new charts then," said Shepard.

"That's most likely where Dr. T'Soni is under siege," said Garrus.

Shepard nodded. "Give me the coordinates, Joker, we'll check it out."

* * *

"Commander, are we there yet?" Ashley moaned.

Shepard clenched the controls in anger. "I swear to God, Williams, you ask me that one more time, you're walking back to the Normandy."

"But Commander, it's so boring back here," Ashley groaned.

A rocket exploded to the left of the Mako, rocking the truck's suspension system harshly.

"Geth detected in the formation ahead. They're up on that ledge!" Tali shouted.

The Mako's machine gun went off. "Damn it! The Geth are protected by those walls!" Wrex cursed.

"It's no good, Shepard, they have the high ground!" Ashley shouted.

"Hang on!" Shepard shouted. He turned the controls to the right, hard. The Mako swerved and drifted into a narrow path.

"Let's see where this leads," Shepard said with a smirk as the path dipped down and then rose up at the end. The Mako flew out of the tunnel, directly in the middle of the camp. Every Geth in the area turned to the newly arrived metal contraption.

Shepard gunned it, moving the Mako as fast as it could go in the circular area, sending dirt and metal items flying. The Mako drove in circles, sliding on the loose gravel, throwing up a cloud of dust that served to obscure the Geth's sight. As he drove in circles, he could hear the bumps and crashes on the side of the Mako, Geth shock troopers who didn't move out of the way fast enough.

The Mako slid to a stop as Shepard pulled the latch, opening up the side doors. "Garrus! Ashley! Suppressing fire! Wrex! Light them up!"

"Right!" said the aforementioned in unison.

The sides of the Mako lit up, the muzzle blasts from the cannon combined with the fire from open sides made the Mako into a shining hunk of mechanical death. If Geth could feel horror, they would certainly feel it now, as Shepard began to drive the Mako in circles again, smashing anything that was in its way.

Kaidan unhinged his seat belt, fed up with the constant assault on his stomach, which was now doing back flips.

"Kaidan, what the hell are you doing?!" Ashley asked as he unhinged himself.

"I'll be back," he said as he stood up in the Mako. He jumped like a superhuman, leaping out of it with a biotic jump, charging the various shock troopers that were still active.

"He's got a streak of badass in him, doesn't he?" Garrus asked.

"A bit, maybe," Ashley said slightly concerned.

A blue ball of light could be seen, presumably Kaidan, as he jumped from Geth to Geth, knocking them out with his biotics. Ashley watched it with fascination until she realized she was still in the middle of a firefight. She pushed the butt of her assault rifle familiarly against her shoulder, lining the sights over the flexible flashlight neck of a Geth, compensating for both the movement of the Mako and the bumpiness of the road. She squeezed the trigger, the flash light exploded into pieces, making Ashley smile. _I had forgotten how fun it was to shoot things. I feel like I'm back at boot camp, _she thought.

The battle didn't last long, between Wrex on the main cannon, Ashley and Garrus shooting anything Wrex didn't, Kaidan ripping apart Geth with his biotics, and, of course, Shepard doing donuts in the middle of the area, sending any Geth in the unlucky enough to get hit flying away in pieces. Ashley even felt sorry for the Geth, as she looked at one that had its legs torn off, its arms still trying to crawl to safety. _Not that sorry, you metal prick, _she thought as she filled the back of the torso with holes from her gun.

Kaidan walked back over to the group, breathing heavily.

"Well, look who's here, Mr. Biotic Superman," Shepard chuckled.

"Call me what you will, but give me a candy bar, I'm starved," Kaidan replied.

Shepard laughed. "I can relate. Here, you definitely earned this."

Kaidan caught the bag Shepard threw at him, hearing it crinkle as he gripped the package. He brought the bag close up to read the beautiful caption that read 'Trail Mix, Alliance Issue'.

"Sweet mother of god," Kaidan said as he ripped open the top of the bag, pouring the contents directly into his mouth.

"Alright, let's get that gate open. Wrex and Tali, check in that building, Ashley and Garrus, check over in that one. Kaidan you can take a breather for now. How are we doing on our distance from the target, Joker?" Shepard said with a finger to his ear.

"Almost there, Commander," Joker answered.

"Can you convert that to meters, Joker?" Shepard asked sarcastically.

"2500 meters, Commander. Like I said, almost there," Joker replied.

"See, now I believe you. The last three times, I didn't. Any reply from the distress signal?"

"Not that I, oh wait, here's something. I'll put it on, Commander."

A young woman's voice came onto the Comm Link; Shepard recognized it from the distress call.

"Hello? Hello? Who is this?" the woman said.

"Hi, this is Commander Blake Shepard, Spectre of the Citadel Council. I've been receiving distress calls coming from this area. Am I speaking to Dr. Liara T'Soni?"

The voice was hesitant at first. "Yes, yes you are. Umm, w-what may I ask would a Spectre want with me?"

"Well first off, I would want to keep you and your team alive. How is the condition of your team by the way? Any injuries?"

The woman grew silent, and when she spoke, she did so with a solemn and quiet voice. "No, no they're not, I'm the only one left."

"We're going to get you out of there, ok? Can you tell me where you are?" Shepard asked.

"Somewhere deep in the ruins, I'm not sure where. I'm, I'm trapped, I hit something I shouldn't have and activated some sort of Prothean security device. I, I can't get out."

"Alright, we'll find you and get you out of there."

"All due respect, I sincerely doubt that. Please, there's no point in coming down here for me. The Geth in the area are far too dangerous to venture down here for one person."

"All due respect, I don't think you know what the hell you're talking about. And I've got five other people up here that would say the same thing. Sit tight; we're coming to get you."

* * *

"Ambush!" yelled Garrus.

A rocket flew over the heads of the team, the six people ducking low to the ground. Another rocket hit the ground to their right, exploding way too close for comfort.

"Garrus! Ashley! Suppressing fire! Wrex, get Tali and Kaidan behind that rock! Let's move people!" Shepard barked out commands, ducking every time he heard an explosion.

Ashley fired her assault rifle, if not to hit something, then to give cover. She looked through her scope, her vision turning red, lining up the humanoid figures that flashed the familiar pulse rifle muzzle blasts. She shot and moved, slowly making her way over to the rock where Wrex had taken Kaidan and Tali. She could hear shots right behind her, sensing Garrus as he moved, following his lead.

Shepard tracked the line of fire from the rockets, looking around to trace back where they came from. His eyes found a ledge with several black figures on it; he unfolded his rifle and tore down three enemies. Shepard flinched instinctively, and then heard the loud crack of another sniper rifle, his kinetic shield disappearing.

"You cocky son of a bitch," Shepard muttered, his eye going into the scope, placing the crosshairs over a Geth sniper. He fired; blasting through the Geth's pulse rifle all the way to its armored head, shattering it. Shepard grinned, his grin falling as he saw a gray metal beast unfold before him. The head opened up, a glowing blue light, fixating directly on Shepard. The head grew brighter, almost as if to intensify its gaze.

"Geth Armature!" Shepard yelled.

Shepard ran, pushing Garrus and Ashley into the cover Wrex had chosen, behind a rock which served as the only cover in the clearing. The three fell behind the rock, an enormously loud crash behind them as the Armature fired where Shepard had been standing. There was steady staccato of machine gun fire hitting the rock they hid behind as the team reassembled themselves.

"Everyone ok?!" Shepard yelled over the loud noises of the battlefield.

All five nodded. Garrus slipped out to fire a burst from his assault rifle, quickly sliding back behind cover as a rocket exploded on the other side of the rock.

"How many are out there!?" Shepard yelled to Garrus.

Garrus shook his head. "Too many!" he said back.

Shepard activated his tactical cloak, his form disappearing. He walked out from the cover of the rock, quickly running out of the way of any gunfire directed at the team. He looked around the terrain, assessing the situation. The area was flat, from the rock his team was hiding behind, to the narrow gap that forced Shepard and company to go on foot. _This is a perfect place for an ambush, _he thought. _Five, six Geth, one Armature, and two of those froggy jumpy Geths. God, those things look weird! _

Shepard ran back over to the rock, sliding behind it as the Armature fired another shot of blue energy.

"Alright! Here's the plan," Shepard said as he uncloaked. The five people looked at their commander as he materialized from thin air. "We got six Geth troopers, three of them have rockets, there are two of those frog Geth, and I think you all know that there is an Armature out there! First things first, Tali, can you hack that thing?!"

"Yes, Shepard!" Tali replied. Another explosion from the other side of the rock as the Armature fired another shot.

"Good! Wrex, I want you to run over to our right and draw their fire! Garrus and Ashley, pop out from cover on both sides of the rock, take out as many of those rocket launchers as you can! Kaidan, find those creepy looking flexible little pricks and smash their flash light heads open! And Tali, hack the shit out of that Armature! Let's hurry up and get back to the Normandy, I hear we have Sloppy Joes for lunch!"

With that, the team went into action. Wrex ran across the field, firing his shotgun at the Geth, all six of their heads turning to follow him. Two of their heads exploded as Garrus and Ashley rounded their cover, assault rifles spitting death. The armature turned to the two gunners, the eye aiming directly at them until a spark of electricity arced along its head, its shields draining. Tali tapped furiously on her Omni Tool, as the Armature's weapons malfunctioned.

Shepard dived to the left, rolling over his shoulder back to his feet, raising his rifle and splitting a Geth in two with one shot. Another Geth took notice, firing a rocket his way. Shepard cringed, but there was no explosion, only a stationary rocket wrapped in blue energy. Kaidan flung his hand at the Geth that fired it, exploding in a shower of fire.

"Looks like I owe you one," Shepard said with a smirk.

"We'll tally it up later, see who owes who," said Kaidan, grabbing a hold of the Geth hopper mid jump with a biotic grip. Shepard shot the hopper in the head, the pieces falling to the ground.

"Geth down, Commander!" Ashley said.

"Alright, everyone fire at the Armature!" Shepard yelled.

Five streams of gunfire hit the Armature, its shields gone and its weapons disabled. Tali continued tapping on her Omni tool, tying down the Armature with her hacking. After a few seconds, the armature broke open like an electric piñata, crumbling apart as it did. The group cheered.

"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," Garrus said.

"I'd still prefer using the Mako," Kaidan said.

"So now you like the Mako? And I thought you said it was a 'grey dented piece of crap'?" Garrus asked.

"That was before we almost got blasted by that Geth Armature. They always went down so fast in the Mako," Kaidan answered.

"That's Krogan engineering, if there is one thing a Krogan read a book to do, it's to blow something up," Wrex added.

"I still think we could've driven through that slit in the rocks. Maybe if I gunned it hard enough, used the thrusters a bit, maybe soaped up the sides of the Mako," Shepard theorized.

"I know that you're joking, Shepard, but I still think you'd actually try it," said Garrus.

"Hey, you never know until you try," Shepard shrugged.

"Yes but I'd rather not have to walk back to the Normandy after you impale the Mako on those rocks," Garrus said.

"We'd probably have to tie a cord from the Mako to the back of the Normandy and tell Joker to gun it," included Ashley.

"All I'm saying is that if it wasn't for Tali's hacking, we'd all be dead right now," Shepard said.

Tali wringing her hands together nervously. "Well, I do what I can…" she said shyly.

Shepard wrapped an arm around Tali's shoulders, hugging her cheerfully. "And what you can is save my ass! And to think I was worried about how you'd do on your first combat mission," Shepard laughed happily. "Alright, enough ass kissing, a little more ass kicking. Let's find this helpless doctor of ours and leave this charred rock of a place."

* * *

The team walked down the stairs of a narrow tunnel that led down to the Prothean ruins. As they walked, Shepard spoke.

"Hey, you what I would love to do in this tunnel?" he asked.

"I'm going to regret this, but what?" Garrus reluctantly asked.

"Slip and slide. I'd get some plastic, some hoses, maybe some sheets of foam, and make a ramp at the bottom with a cushion to land on at the end," Shepard described.

"Of course you would, Commander. I swear, you're like a kid sometimes!" Ashley complained.

"Say what you will, but when we're done with this mission, all you'll have are your words, and I'll have a big ass slip and slide. And I won't even let you have a turn," Shepard warned.

"So, 'slip and slide'?" Garrus asked.

"Think of a plastic sheet with a water hose on it on a hot summer day. Now imagine running and sliding headfirst across it. Now imagine doing it when you were twelve," Shepard explained.

"That actually doesn't sound half bad. Palaven gets really hot sometimes," Garrus said approvingly.

"Do you 'slip and slide' a lot, Shepard?" asked Tali.

"When I was a kid. Every summer me, my mom, and my dad would go to the beach by the Navy base. One year the other kids had this thing I had never heard of, a 'slip and slide', and they looked so happy running and sliding across it like penguins, so I joined in." Shepard sighed happily. "It was a nice summer."

"Sounds like a lot of fun," Tali said.

"I remember when I got my first shotgun. There were dead pyjaks everywhere. Good times…" Wrex said nostalgically.

Shepard smiled. _Wrex says the best things, _he thought. As they neared the bottom of the stairs, he saw something move.

"Movement," he said to his team behind him, drawing his pistol.

The figure moved again, and Shepard fired, shooting it down. He ran down the stairs, jumping the last four steps and landing athletically on his feet over the body of a dead Geth trooper. He kicked it, just to be sure.

The rest of his team came down the stairs behind him.

"Weapons out, there could be more around here," Shepard said.

* * *

The group stood on an elevator as it moved down into the ruins. Tali looked at the unearthed architecture with interest. All along the side of the metal wall were openings, possibly hallways, but they all had a blue shimmering wall of energy at their entrance.

Tali cocked her head to the side in wonderment. _Are those energy walls on for a reason, or were they just always on?_

The elevator shuddered to a stop, much too high from the ground floor. Tali saw that the railing supports at the bottom were mangled.

"Everyone off!" Shepard yelled, leaping out from the elevator onto nearby scaffolding. The rest of the group followed, but as Tali prepared to jump the elevator gave out below her.

Tali felt herself fall, instinctively closing her eyes. She heard a crash of metal on the ground, but for some reason she was unharmed. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling a grip on her wrist.

"Gotcha," said Shepard, holding Tali's wrist with his left hand. Tali looked baffled at Shepard as pulled with his left arm, reaching over to her forearm with his right.

"Here, grab onto my back," said Shepard as he pulled Tali's hand to his shoulders. She grabbed onto the armor plate on his back, and once she did, Shepard reached down, wrapping around Tali's hips.

Tali jumped at the feeling of Shepard's arms at her hips, as he pulled her up by her waist. Tali rolled onto the scaffolding floor, pushing her body up with her arms to her feet. She looked over to Shepard, seeing his legs wrapped around a vertical piece of railing on the side of the path. _Quick thinking, _she thought.

Shepard got up, dusting himself off.

"You ok?" he asked Tali, his eyes shining a vibrant color of blue.

Tali felt her face go hot, her pulse rise as her heart struggled to keep up with her brain's command for more blood. She turned away, unable to look directly in his eyes, or anywhere around his face for that matter.

"Yes, umm, I'm fine, thank you, Shepard," Tali managed to say.

"Good catch, Commander," Ashley complimented.

"Hey, when you agree to serve on a crew with Blake Shepard, you get the full deal, none of this half price half ass nonsense," Shepard said.

Tali looked over the edge of the scaffolding, down to where the elevator lay in pieces. _That's where I could have been, laying on the ground, bleeding to death. _An arm gripped her firmly, making her jump again.

"Let's not have you looking over edges, please; I'm in no mood for heroics. Well that's not true, but you know what I'm saying," Shepard chuckled.

Tali nodded silently, still deep in thought. _He saved me; I could be dead right now if it wasn't for Blake. And he pulled me up like I weighed nothing._

She followed Shepard and the group as they walked down the makeshift metal stairs.

A voice called out, soft and feeble.

"Hello? Can somebody help me? Please?" a woman said.

Shepard looked around, finding an Asari woman floating in mid air. She was surrounded by a blue ball of energy, behind a wall of the same type of energy.

"Can you hear me out there? I'm trapped, I need help!" the Asari said.

"We can hear you. What's your name, maim?" Shepard asked.

"T'Soni. Dr. Liara T'Soni. I'm one of the Prothean researchers excavating these ruins," Liara answered.

"Nice to meet you in person, doc. I'm Commander Blake Shepard," Shepard said with a grin.

"Yes, I remember our talks earlier. I don't suppose you could help me out of here?" Liara asked.

"Well what exactly is going on? What are you trapped in?"

"Some sort of Prothean security device. The device can be shut off over here, but I can't move."

"Alright, we'll get through that wall then. Just sit tight for now."

* * *

After half an hour of experimentation, biotic tapering, and shotgun blasts, and the team was out of ideas. The blue wall of energy was solid, showing just advanced the Protheans were in their time.

Shepard looked around, a large mechanic contraption catching his eye.

"Tali?" he asked, eyes still stuck on metal object.

Tali walked quickly over to where Shepard stood. "Yes Shepard, what is it?"

Shepard pointed at the thing. "What is that?"

Tali followed the line made by Shepard's finger, her eyes fixating on the object in question. "I don't know, Shepard. It appears to be some sort of mining laser."

Shepard turned to look back at Tali. His face had a mischievous grin on it that Tali knew was trouble. "Mining laser, huh?"

* * *

"You found away past the wall! Please, push that button and free me!" Liara said.

"In a moment. First, tell me about Benezia," Shepard said.

"Benezia? I have not seen or heard of my mother for many years. We're not exactly on speaking terms. What sort of business do you have with her?"

"Well, how about we save that for when we get back to the ship?" Shepard said. He walked over to the terminal, pressing the bottom to release Liara from the trap. She landed on her feet, struggling to stand up.

Garrus caught her before she toppled over, gently supporting her with an arm under her shoulders.

"I'm sorry; I have been in there for a long time. Truth be told, Commander, when we were talking, I thought that you were just a figment of my imagination. You can imagine my surprise when I saw you in person. How, may I ask, did you get past the barrier?" Liara asked.

"Oh, you know, just a little resourcefulness, a little ingenuity," Shepard said vaguely.

"We blasted through with a mining laser," Tali blurted out.

"Of course, the mining laser," Liara said thoughtfully.

Ashley leaned close to Shepard, whispering so only the two could hear. "What if she's a spy sent by Saren? She could still be loyal to Benezia."

"If she's a spy, she's a terrible spy, and I don't think she would've been trapped in the ball just for theatrics. Way too venerable for a trap," Shepard replied.

The whole ruins shook, a loud moan echoing through the caverns.

"What the hell was that?!" asked Kaidan.

"That laser must've triggered a seismic event. We have to get out of here!" said Liara.

"On the double. Let's move!" shouted Shepard as they ran for the lift.

* * *

"Surrender. Or don't. That would be more fun."

The large Krogan Battle Master spoke with apathy. He did not seem to care about the lives of Shepard and his team. He stood gripping his shotgun, flanked by two Geth shock troopers and a Geth rocket trooper. They seemed to be following the Battle Master's orders. Garrus noted another Geth hiding far across the tunnel, possibly a sniper.

"In case you didn't know, this place is falling apart," Shepard pointed out.

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the Battle Master answered, taking a couple of steps forward. "Thanks for getting rid of those energy fields for us. Hand the doctor over."

Garrus stepped forward, the full intention of rushing the Krogan fresh in his mind, but Shepard stuck out an arm to stop him. Garrus turned, surprised, looking at Shepard as he closed just one eye momentarily, blinking it. It was an odd gesture, something Garrus didn't understand, but it showed that Shepard had something in mind. He looked down at Shepard's hand as it gripped his. _Strange, I don't seem to feel his grip for some reason._

"Why are you here for Dr. T'Soni?" Shepard asked, turning back to the Krogan Battle Master.

"Saren wants her. And he always gets what he wants," answered the Battle Master.

Shepard smiled a large and dopey smile. Garrus looked strangely at him, unsure of what he was thinking. He blinked, and Shepard wasn't there anymore. Garrus looked around him but Shepard had disappeared. A loud bang of a sniper rifle went off, along with splatter of blood on the floor, the crack of bone, and a squealing from an animal Garrus had never heard of. He turned to where the sound had come from, to where the Krogan Battle Master had stood.

Key word: had.

The Krogan now lay on the ground, orange blood covering his face, a sizable crack in his head plate around a hole that had appeared in it. Shepard stood behind where the Krogan had stood, sniper rifle at hand, the edge of the barrel smoking.

Garrus wasted no time gawking at what Shepard had just done, drawing his weapon and firing at the remaining Geth. The rest of the team followed in suit, the three Geth were felled quickly.

Garrus replaced his assault rifle, drawing his sniper rifle instead. He took aim at the crates where he last saw that Geth sniper. _Come on you metal piece of…_

The Geth popped his head up, and when he did, Garrus fired. The shot went through the Geth's trigger arm, into the 'chest' of the Geth. It fell back into pieces. Garrus let out a sigh of relief.

"Joker! We need extraction. Lock onto my position and get over here, fast! Let's go people! We got to move!" Shepard yelled.

"Wait! Aren't you going to kill me?" the Krogan said hopefully, his brains visible through the hole in his skull. Even with such a wound, the Krogan could still speak, still think, and with proper time to heal he could possible come back to be a threat.

"No. You aren't worth the bullet. Now come on!" Shepard commanded.

The ruins creaked, the sides of the walls loosening dust and small rocks, heralding the inevitable collapse.

The team ran through the ruins, along the scaffolding and cat walks, all the way back to the narrow tunnel with stairs they had climbed down. Shepard got their first, stopping to check and see if everyone was getting out. The last person in line was Dr. T'Soni, and she stumbled at the foot of the stairs. Shepard wasted no time helping her up; instead he lifted her with his arms under her knees and behind her shoulders. He powered up the stairs, taking each step two stairs at a time.

His legs burned, lactic acid filling the muscles in them. The little voice inside of Shepard's mind complained, telling him to stop, to slow down. The little voice told him that he couldn't make it even if he tried, that he should just give up. Shepard told that voice to shut the hell up.

Opening his mouth wider to take in more air, letting himself feel angrier, increasing the adrenaline in his body, Shepard sprinted up the stairs, fully intent on reaching the top.

_Get it up, Blake, get it up, you can do better than this. _Shepard closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, focusing all his might into his legs. He imagined them as pistons, pushing his body upward with large powerful strides. _You feel no pain, no fatigue, no illusions of failure. All you see is the goal in front of you, nothing else. You are the wolf._

Shepard reached the top of the tunnel, the light spilling into his eyes as he opened them. It was like seeing the gates of heaven after taking a tour in the pits of hell, the light and the sky illuminating in such a brilliant way.

_I am the wolf._

The Normandy floated nearby, dropping altitude slowly.

_And there is my flying castle, _Shepard thought. He realized he still had Dr. T'Soni in his arms; she was curled gently in his grip. He set her down on her feet, supporting her as she stumbled in her stance.

"Are you alright, Doc?" Shepard asked.

"I'm fine, maybe I need some rest. You, on the other hand, should be exhausted, carrying a person in your arms while charging up those stairs like that. Are you sure you're ok?" Liara asked worriedly.

Shepard felt winded, but he knew the recovery speed of his body, and he was sure he would catch his breath within seconds. He shrugged at the question. "I'm pretty used to this sort of thing."

He helped Liara move as he walked her closer to the rest of the crew. "Is everybody alright, nobody hurt?" he asked.

"We're fine, Commander. More importantly, how the hell did you pull that disappearing act on us?" Kaidan asked.

"Indeed. One second you were there, another you were gone. It was like you teleported," Garrus described.

Shepard shrugged. "It was easy. I used my cloak to walk around that Krogan while he was talking."

"But, but you were standing right next to me. You kept me from attacking him," Garrus said with disbelief.

"That wasn't me, it was just a projection. I bought this device on the Citadel that projects an image of myself. I can talk into the microphone on my omni tool, and the VI handles all the facial movements and gestures. I made it grab you to keep you from spoiling my plan. Once I had my position behind him, I whipped out my sniper rifle and shot him point blank. I'm glad the shot took him out of the fight, he looked tough to me."

Garrus looked stunned. "But you were right next to me, when did you?..." He trailed off into his own train of thought.

"It was interesting what you did though, Shepard," Wrex said.

"Why's that?" Shepard asked.

"The greatest insult a Krogan can give to another Krogan is the insult of not killing them. It is a gesture that says 'your life is not worth the price of one bullet'. In doing so, you may have provoked an agony unparalleled by anything in that Krogan's life. You stole his honor, Shepard. I must say, I'm impressed," Wrex smiled evilly.

"He sacrificed his honor by working for Saren. He must've died down there too," Shepard said.

"Good riddance," said Kaidan.

"Let's get back to the ship; I wasn't kidding about those Sloppy Joes."

* * *

**To Airam, my cheeky little companion.**


	13. Chapter 13: Melding With A Mad Man

**Bill here! This chapter has some parts about Liara, mostly her fitting into the crew. She does get to meld with Shepard and he doesn't exactly understand what she's doing. The Normandy goes to Noveria to find Lady Benezia. If you like the chapter or if you have any comments, leave a review, and as always, Enjoy!**

**Note: The ME1 story arc has a romance for Liara, but the romance as a whole is for Tali. I'm a huge Talimancer, so don't think that Liara will get Shepard in the end, but for ME1 purposes, Liara will appear to be the Love Interest. **

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"Next time, Commander, let's try not to get the Normandy so close to lava. It tends to fry our sensors and melt our hull," Joker said over the PA system.

"If lava can melt an Alliance ship, what do you think it would to me?" Shepard answered.

"We narrowly missed death, and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked.

"Joker's always doing that. It makes a serious mission like ours more bearable," Shepard explained.

"I see. It must be a human thing. I must admit, I am not used to your species, Commander. What is this mission you speak of?" Liara asked.

"My mission is to track down and incapacitate the traitor Saren Arterius, any way I can," Shepard answered.

"I see. This 'Saren' must be quite a nefarious character then," Liara concluded.

"He led an army of Geth against the entire colony of Eden Prime," Ashley blurted out.

"He's been using his status as a Spectre to hide his actions all over the galaxy," Garrus added.

"Oh my. So what does that have to with Benezia?" Liara asked.

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk about, doc. Do you know anything about Benezia that we should know about?" Shepard asked.

"Not anything out of the ordinary. She's always believed that the Asari must be the voice of reason in the galaxy. She never liked my fascination with the Protheans; she said that 'digging around like a varren' was not befitting of any daughter of a Matriarch. Eventually I could no longer stand to be near her, with her constant judgmental attitude and her fixation on the future of the Asari. After I left, we stopped all communication; I haven't heard from her in years. Good riddance, I say," Liara said, quite defiantly.

Shepard looked away from Liara, her words made it even harder for him to tell her the truth. He looked around the Comm Room, the place Shepard had chosen to use for all team meetings and debriefings. He stood in the middle, while the rest of the team sat in chairs around him.

Shepard walked over to a table, grabbing a glass from it. He picked up a pitcher of water, pouring the clear liquid into the glass. He filled the glass, setting the pitcher back on the table, and walking back to where Liara sat. He held out the glass to her.

"Would you like some water?" he asked.

Liara took the glass earnestly. She had built up a thirst while trapped in the Prothean security device. She drank several gulps of water, emptying it.

"Thank you, Commander, I was quite thirsty," she said thankfully.

"Don't mention it," Shepard answered quietly, turning away again.

Shepard's gaze was hidden from Liara; he faced the wall across from her. She started to notice that Shepard was acting quite strange. As she looked at the other team members of his crew, they all avoided eye contact with her. She began to feel very distraught.

"Shepard, what exactly does your mission have to do with Benezia?" Liara asked, this time her voice sounded quite desperate.

Shepard brought his hands up to his chest, folding them.

"Lady Benezia, your mother, she, well Saren is,…" Shepard began weakly.

"No, no no no, she isn't, she couldn't be, is she?" Liara asked.

Shepard turned to look at her, his eyes deep with sorrow.

"She's dead?" Liara asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Shepard looked down at the floor, momentarily, before coming back up to meet Liara's eyes.

"Worse," he answered.

Liara was confused. _So Benezia isn't dead? But what could be worse than death?_

Shepard tapped his omni tool reluctantly, projecting a hologram. A vid played the video file from Tali's Geth memory core. It showed Saren and Benezia speaking, quite familiar with each other.

"It was a great victory at Eden Prime," said Saren.

"Yes, and one more step to the Conduit," said Matriarch Benezia.

"I-I don't understand. Why is Benezia, why is she with Saren?..." Liara began.

Shepard looked at her, his face like a stone statue.

Liara dropped the glass in her hand; it landed on the floor with a crash, shattering. Her hands came up to clutch the sides of her head, her vision getting hazy. She couldn't feel her face, in fact she couldn't feel anything, and she certainly didn't feel herself fall before crashing onto the floor to her left.

The last thing she saw was Shepard's face, his voice inaudible as he shouted, his mouth moving so fast it was blurry to Liara's eyes.

* * *

"I'm glad to see that the mission was a success," said Councilor Valern.

"So am I. All in all, it was a good mission," Shepard commented.

"Yes, but what about Matriarch Benezia's daughter? Have you taken necessary precautions to subdue her?" said Councilor Spartacus.

"She practically subdued herself. She seemed to have no idea what Benezia was involved in, and when I showed her the evidence, she passed out. She's in the med bay now," Shepard said.

"Are you sure that she's not a spy?" Spartacus warned.

"The Geth were clearly after her, they killed the other members of her excavation team, and the Krogan we faced wanted nothing else but her. It was quite clear she was Saren's target, but for what reason I don't know why. That's what I want to find out," Shepard said.

"Perhaps Benezia simply wanted her daughter back?" said Councilor Tavos.

"I think there are better ways to ask your own daughter to join your side, even if you are a traitor," answered Spartacus.

"Perhaps Benezia didn't know about it?" suggested Valern.

"Wait a moment, Councilors. Let's pretend for a moment that Liara isn't related to Benezia in any way. What value to Saren would she have?" Shepard asked.

The three councilors stood thinking. After a moment they came to the same conclusion.

"Her expertise in Prothean artifacts," the three councilors said.

"Then Dr. T'Soni knows something about the 'Conduit'. Something that Saren doesn't. Which means he'll have to figure it out from someone else," Shepard said.

"A sharp deduction, Shepard. I must say, I was worried when we sent you off to find Saren. We weren't sure what the first human Spectre would do. Especially on his first mission," said Valern with a wink.

"Understandable. Humans are an unknown agent; they're not as tough as the Krogan, not as smart as the Salarians, and not as disciplined as the Turians, but still very dangerous in their own respect. They are foreign to the galaxy, and unfamiliar things beget fear and confusion. I think this applies to Saren as well, it explains why he made such feeble attempts to kill me. He's stronger, more experienced, and better equipped, but he won't expect what I have in store for him. That is why he will lose," Shepard said.

"Confident words from someone so inexperienced," Spartacus commented.

"Perhaps. Did you receive my transmission of evidence, Councilors?" Shepard asked.

"Yes we did, Shepard. We were surprised when you sent it; Spectre's are not required to submit any evidence or paperwork," said Tavos.

"Yes, well I figured you three would want to keep tabs on my progress, me being an unknown agent and all. It also may give you peace of mind," Shepard said.

"How's that?" asked Spartacus.

"Now you know that you made the right decision. Both with Saren and with me," Shepard answered.

"That is to be seen," Spartacus answered.

"Indeed it is. Alas, my councilors, I must get back to my duty. My perilous mission requires a majority of my attention, and I'm afraid I've already spent my excess of it. I will contact you after my next mission," Shepard said, signing off.

"Good bye Shepard, and good luck," said Tavos.

Shepard nodded, the hologram cutting off. He sighed. _Man, Anderson wasn't kidding about talking with 'Neutral Integrity'. I just didn't know I could fit a stick that long up my ass, _he thought.

He turned and walked out of the Comm room. After Liara had fainted, the debriefing had crumbled to next to nothing. _We'll have a meeting before we get to Noveria, _Shepard thought.

He walked through the halls of the Normandy, arriving at the Med Bay. The doors slid open, revealing a familiar white room.

"How is she?" Shepard asked.

Dr. Chakwas stood up from a machine which displayed readings on Liara's health.

"She's fine, a bit dehydrated, but I took care of that. The real problem is why she came unconscious. Anything you might want to tell me?" she asked.

Shepard sighed. "I told her that her mother was working for Saren. I had to."

"At a time when she was so weak? You couldn't have waited until she got some rest?" Chakwas asked.

"I couldn't wait. If I had given her time to recover, time to relax, her reaction would've been completely different. It would've been impossible for me to know if she was faking or not. I saw her face when I told her; she wasn't faking," Shepard said sternly.

"I see. I know you've been there before, Blake," said Chakwas.

Shepard looked at his hand, twitching it slightly. "Yeah," he said softly.

Liara stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up, looking at Shepard.

"What happened?" she moaned, rubbing her head with one hand.

Shepard helped her sit up in bed. Dr. Chakwas gave her a glass of water and two pills. Liara looked at the glass of water and then back to Shepard, suspiciously.

"You're not going to tell me anything else that's going to make me faint, are you?" she asked.

Shepard chuckled. "No, I'm not. Though you might be able to return the favor; I've got some questions of my own. Dr. Chakwas, would you give us a moment?"

Dr. Chakwas nodded, walking out of the Med Bay. Shepard sat down on the bed next to Liara's.

"Dr. T'Soni, how much do you know about the Protheans?" he asked.

Liara took a gulp of water, swallowing both pills with it. "Well, I've spent the last fifty years studying them. You could say I've dedicated my whole life to the study of Protheans."

"Have you ever heard of something called the 'Conduit'?" Shepard asked hopefully.

Liara frowned. "No I haven't. Is it some sort of Prothean invention?"

Shepard's head dropped, defeated. He sighed, raising his head back up. "I'm not sure what it is, but I know that Saren is trying to find it. And for whatever reason, he wanted you, but I'm sure why. He could need a Prothean expert, or he could be covering his tracks and eliminating anyone familiar with the Protheans. All I know is that his plans hinges on the function of this 'Conduit', though I have no idea where it is, what it is or what it does. And to top it all off, I have is these visions in my mind from the Prothean Beacon, which make no sense-"

Liara quickly interrupted. "What was that? A Prothean Beacon?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, on Eden Prime there was a Prothean Beacon, and it grabbed me-"

Liara sat up closer, now much more attentive. "It grabbed you? What happened after that?"

"It gave me these visions-" Shepard began.

"Yes, and?" Liara asked, clutching the sheets of the bed with such tenacity, Shepard feared they would tear.

"Then it exploded," Shepard finished.

Liara sat with her mouth gapping wide. Shepard looked around for a few seconds, unsure of what to do.

"You were touched by Prothean Beacon, given visions only a Prothean mind could understand, and to top it all off, survived the explosion of a faulty Beacon. That would have killed an average mind, nay a mind of tremendous fortitude. You must be remarkably strong willed, Commander. The possibility of death or insanity in this case would be extremely high. Are you sure you're alright?" Liara asked.

Shepard shrugged. "I am a little hungry," he admitted.

Liara smiled, stifling a giggle that somehow slipped out.

"I suppose you are quite the strong man, Commander, such things deflecting so easily off you. Tell me, what sort of things did you see in the visions?" Liara asked.

Shepard shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure what I saw. Death, destruction, war. It was hard to understand."

"Perhaps I could help you better understand your vision, Commander," Liara suggested.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked.

She explained. "As an Asari, I have the ability to meld with other people's minds. We could join our consciousness, and I can then try to rearrange the visions in your head. It would give you a much better understanding of them, not mention relieve any strain it has been putting on your mind."

Shepard thought about it for a while. _The last time something went into my mind, I got these visions in the first place, not mention I was out for eight hours. But Dr. T'Soni isn't going to shove information into my head, she's going to organize it. I don't suppose this would be a trap, would it?_

"I don't know, this seems kind of shaky…" Shepard began, rubbing the back of his head.

Liara looked down, embarrassed and a little disappointed. "Yes, yes of course. It was a silly suggestion anyway, how rude of me."

_She was just trying to help. It would be pointless to kill me now when she could've killed me on Therum. Trust can only be gained when one is prepared to give it._

"Alright, I'll do it," Shepard said.

Liara turned, an excited look spread on her face. "You will? Wonderful!"

"Ok, now how is this going to work?" Shepard asked skeptically.

Liara lifted her hand, stroking Shepard's hair softly. "Just lean back, relax, and **embrace eternity**."

Shepard relaxed. He felt his mind being probed, but instead of the rough, forceful way the Prothean Beacon had given him visions, this time felt very gentle. Shepard felt the halls and corridors of his mind being touched by Liara as she searched for the Prothean visions. He gasped, the feeling was soothing, like a gust of fresh air after a life time of breathing smog.

Liara dived into Shepard's mind. It was hard to resist going into Shepard's memories while she melded; Liara found Shepard quite interesting. She went from memory to memory, stimulating each one to see if it related to the Prothean visions somehow.

Liara searched in one area of memories.

_A man spoke to a very young Shepard. He might've been about eight years old at the time. _

"_One day, Blake, this world will be yours. And it will be your responsibility to take care of it and protect it," the man said._

"_But how will I protect the world? I don't know how," Shepard asked._

_The man smiled, which gave Shepard a warm feeling. He rubbed Shepard's head playfully. _

"_You'll learn, son. You'll learn."_

Liara moved to another group of memories.

_This time Shepard was about twelve years old, sitting at a kitchen table. A dark skinned man in military uniform and a lady in a business suit sat across from him. Shepard looked down, his eyes fixed on toy dog he held in his hands._

"_We can find you a new home," the lady suggested._

_Shepard looked up, his eyes defiant even as they filled with tears. He spoke strongly for someone so young. _

"_I don't want a new home. I want my home!" he shouted, running out of the kitchen. _

Liara keep going, deeper, darker memories, where Shepard's nightmares lie.

_Shepard kneeled on the ground, cradling the body of a young woman. The young woman was beaten, her body was limp. Shepard was seventeen, maybe eighteen, his eyes on pouring tears out._

"_Jessie, please, wake up, Jessie, you can't leave me like this," he pleaded, his whole body aching with grief._

_A gruff voice spoke. "Why are you still playing with that girl's body? She was loyal to Dalton. You understand."_

_Shepard turned from grief to rage, his wrath swelling like a burning inferno of hatred. His head turned to the voice, looking at the giant of a man who spoke, eyes filled with utter loathing._

Liara shuddered; the feeling of Shepard's memory was overwhelming. She continued viewing the memory, eager to see where it led to.

_Shepard pointed a finger at the giant, his face wet with tears. _

"_You. You did this?! You said she would be spared!" he shouted._

_The giant shrugged. "She got in the way. I had to do what I had to do. You know what Dalton always said: Nothing is illegal unless you get caught."_

_Shepard set down the girl's body, feelings of love and tenderness peaking. He stood up, wiping his face with his tattered sleeve._

"_What? You're mad? The 'Black Dog' of the slums, mourning over one little girl? You're pathetic." The giant spoke with disdain, spitting on the floor towards Shepard. _

_Shepard exploded, going at the giant in a fit of rage. The giant reached out, his arms were longer than Shepard's, his body was stronger, and he stopped Shepard's charge head on. _

_The giant laughed, slamming an elbow on Shepard's back. He threw Shepard across the ground of broken cement. _

"_Hahahaha! You think you can take me on? After all we've been through? After all the men we've killed, all the things we've stole, all the wrongs we've done, you're gonna try and kill me? Well, come on then, let's see if you've got the balls to finish me off."_

_Shepard got up, spitting out the blood from the wound on the inside of his cheek. His anger subsided for a moment, burning like embers instead of the large bonfire of rage it was before. He crouched, putting his hands to the floor._

"_What's this? You're bowing to me? Or are you trying to act like your namesake, you dirty mutt!"_

_Shepard charged, his body low to the ground as he ran. He went straight at the giant, but when the large arms tried to grab him, Shepard rolled to his right. He popped back up to his feet, slamming a fist into the giant's side. The giant's body turned, swinging a large fist into Shepard, sending him sprawling backward. _

_Shepard fell to the ground, the taste of blood fresh in his mouth. He reached up, dabbing his lips, looking at the crimson tip of his finger with a strange look._

"_I should've let you die that day we met, let my men string you up, cut your hands off and left you to the rats," the giant said bitterly. _

_Shepard got up slowly, supporting himself with one arm. As he reached full standing height, he wobbled to the left, catching himself with his other arm. Shepard's vision blurred, his body felt sluggish and heavy._

"_Yeah, but you didn't. And now I'm going to kill you," Shepard said._

_The giant laughed. "Oh, Black Dog, you're such a hoot. At least you can say you died with some balls, that is, if you don't cry again before I kill you."_

_Shepard charged again, his body groaning as he did. _

"_It'll all be over soon, I promise," Shepard said under his breath._

_As he got close enough, the giant swung his fist at Shepard, expecting him to dodge again. Shepard raised his arms, taking the blow with his body. He stumbled forward, and then his feet spread apart, supporting him. His knees bent down, then shot him upward, his legs launching his body up in the air. His arms went forward, his right hand gripping the back of the giant's head and his left gripping the giant's large shoulder. He pulled the giant's head to the right, the exposing the large neck. Shepard turned his head to the side, his mouth opened, his teeth shined with a ferocious crimson glow. Both arms pulled his body in, his legs pushed him up, bringing his mouth to the giant's neck. He sunk his teeth into the soft flesh, his top row of teeth biting just above the jugular vein, his bottom row of teeth under the esophagus. His teeth slid in so easily, like a knife sliding into its hilt. Shepard bit down, his neck and jaws muscles flexing, biting harder than Shepard had ever bitten before. _

_The giant's eyes went wide, his arms coming up to grab Shepard, but his previous strength was gone. Blood squirted from his neck, gushing out like a water hose. His legs buckled, falling down to his knees, allowing Shepard to bite down more thoroughly. He tried to shout, tried to scream, tried to say something, but all that came out was a wet gurgle._

_The taste of blood filled Shepard's mouth; he ripped out the giant's throat with his teeth, spitting it next to him on the floor. _

_Then, with blood all over his face, his teeth stained an evil crimson color, the front of his shirt drenched in the sticky red syrup, wrath burning in his eyes, Shepard spoke._

"_My name is Blake," he said. _

Liara came out of the melding, panting heavily. She had never experienced such memories, such feelings second hand, nor could she imagine having them first hand. _Strong willed was an understatement, _she thought to herself.

"Dr. T'Soni?" Shepard asked.

"Yes Blake!" Liara answered loudly.

Shepard smiled, embarrassed. "Please, no need to shout. Did you find the Prothean visions?"

Liara looked away, feeling very ashamed. "No," she said reluctantly, "Unfortunately I was unable to. The melding, it can exhaust one quite easily. I'm sorry, perhaps after some rest, I can try again?"

Shepard stood up, smiling fondly. "Sure. Get some rest."

And with that, Shepard left Liara in the Med Bay to review what memories she had felt in Shepard's mind.

Liara thought deeply for a moment. _I feel bad for delving too much into his memories, but I do feel entitled to some knowledge about who rescued me from Saren. If he were to have ill intentions, it would be paramount that I scan his mind for such thoughts. However… I don't think this is exactly about that. Nor do I believe this to be related to the Prothean visions somehow. I find myself wanting to know more about him, especially how he came from such a horrid childhood to be such a noble man._

* * *

Shepard stood in the middle of the Comm Room, his team seated in the circle around him. His omni tool projected a hologram of a white planet.

"This is the planet Noveria. We will be landing in Port Hanshan, a small port for several military companies, which use the nearby mountains as research stations. From here we'll track down Benezia and see whether or not she's gone off world. If she has, we'll find out what she was doing here in the first place, try to gather information about where might've gone. This mission might end up like the mission on Eden Prime, but keep your eyes peeled; you never know what might happen. Any questions?"

Garrus raised his hand sheepishly. "How cold did you say Noveria was?"

"I didn't say, but it is quite cold. Port Hanshan should be heated, though. Why, do you have a problem with the cold?" asked Shepard.

"Radioactive summers I can handle, but nuclear winters are out the question. No Turian can really stand the cold, Commander," Garrus said.

"Imagine that, a Turian having a weak spot. I wouldn't have guessed," Wrex sneered.

Garrus chuckled. "I'd like to see you spend a summer on Palavan, see what you get first, cancer or a tan."

"I don't know if you've ever heard of Tuchunka, but I can safely say I won't be hurt by a little radiation," Wrex replied.

"Granted, but Palavan isn't as cloudy as Tuchunka, the sun burns the ground so hot it'll melt rubber tires," Garrus said.

"That sounds like shit, Garrus. Turians actually live there?" Shepard asked.

"Where else are we supposed to live? It's our home planet. You wouldn't want to leave Earth, would you Shepard?" Garrus asked.

Shepard grimaced slightly, pushing a bitter feeling back down. _I would. I did, in a heartbeat._

"Yeah, but we didn't blow our bomb our home planet to hell," Kaidan added.

"Palavin wasn't bombed, the weak magnetic field allows more solar radiation on the planet's surface. It's always been hot," Garrus said.

"Tuchunka was. Once Krogan figured out how to make nuclear weapons, we bombed the shit of that rock. We can still live there, but it ain't as easy as living in the jungles that were once there. We had to give up the tradition of eating the humps of defeated Krogan due to radiation poisoning. Very disappointing," Wrex said.

"Ok, moving right along, do we have any other questions, maybe some that actually deal with the mission on Noveria?" Shepard asked.

The team was silent.

"Good. We land in four hours, I expect all of you to be suited up and ready in three and a half. Dismissed!"

As the team dispersed, filing out of the Comm Room, Ashley walked straight up to Shepard.

"Commander, I need to talk to you," she said.

"If you wanted to ask me something, you've should've done it during the briefing," Shepard answered plainly.

"It's best if I asked you in private. It's about the Asari girl," Ashley said quietly.

"Benezia or T'Soni?" Shepard asked.

"Both. I don't think you should be so trusting of the doctor just because the Geth were after her. She could still be loyal to Benezia," Ashley warned.

"Of course she is; she's her mother," Shepard said.

"What I'm saying is…wait what?" Ashley asked.

"No matter what they were arguing about before, T'Soni will always be loyal to her mother. Nothing can break that," said Shepard.

"Then why are we…" Ashley began.

"That mission on Therum, the Krogan that was leading those Geth, did he seem like a 'rescue party'? Did he seem like he wanted to save Liara?" Shepard asked.

Ashley thought about what Shepard said for a moment. "No, he seemed like he wanted to take her. And it seemed like the Asari didn't want to be taken."

"Now, who do you think sent that Krogan to capture her, Saren or Benezia?" Shepard asked.

Ashley's eyes widened. "Saren sent that Krogan to get T'Soni behind Benezia's back!"

"Exactly. I think Benezia wanted to keep Liara in the dark, away from herself and from Saren. For whatever reason, Benezia didn't want Liara involved with whatever is happening," Shepard explained.

"Which means that Benezia and Saren aren't exactly seeing eye to eye," Ashley concluded.

"And if we're lucky, we can use that information as leverage over Benezia to get something on Saren or the Conduit," Shepard said.

"Wow Commander, I didn't see it like that," Ashley said.

"And neither will Saren," Shepard said with a wink.

* * *

Shepard stood by the cockpit, waiting for the team to assemble. It was still an hour until the Normandy landed on Noveria, but Shepard was feeling anxious. _Maybe it was that melding thing Liara did, that felt pretty weird. At least it wasn't as bad as the beacon, but how could she not find the visions? How many memories was she going through in there?_

The team showed up at roughly the same amount of time. Kaidan made a point to be early this time, which Shepard liked, followed by Ashley.

_What, do they help each other dress or something? _Shepard thought to himself.

The rest of the team followed, Garrus, Tali, and Wrex. Shepard counted heads, but found a blue fringed head among the small crowd.

"Liara?" he asked.

Liara stuck her head out from behind Garrus and Wrex, the largest two in the group. She stood bashfully as Shepard walked over to talk to her. He leaned in close to where just the two of them could hear.

"What are you doing, Liara? You're supposed to be in the Med Bay resting," Shepard whispered, clearly still aggravated.

Liara shut her eyes on each word Shepard spoke. "Yes, I know, but I felt that since you saved me, I should at least do something to repay you."

Shepard was infuriated. "Repay me?! By sneaking out of the Med bay and into my team to get yourself shot?" Shepard spoke louder, the conversation no longer just between the two of them.

Liara began to feel angry too. "I am a hundred and six years old and I am offended that you would treat me like a helpless little girl just because you happened to find me trapped in a Prothean security device on our first meeting. I'll have you know my biotics are strong enough to throw a man further than you can shoot your crude little firearm!"

"Well this is my mission, and I will not have you on my team, is that clear?" Shepard asked angrily.

"Lady Benezia is my mother, and I will accompany you on this mission if you intend to find her!" Liara said, her body slightly glowing blue.

"Is she your mother? Is she? It's been fifty years since you've seen her, what if she's not even the same person? What if we find her and she doesn't even recognize you anymore?" Shepard sneered.

The argument fell to silence; the words Shepard said had crossed a line that he immediately regretted. Liara's blue glow subsided, her angry face melting into an expression of awe.

"You're right. What if she really has changed? I mean, what if the person that was my mother isn't even there anymore?" Liara asked herself.

Shepard felt a pang of guilt shoot through him like a shot from his rifle. He raised his hands in an apologetic manner, trying to undo what could not be undone. Shepard tried to speak, but Liara spoke first.

"I'm sorry, Commander. You're right; this is your mission, your team, and your plan. I have no right to interfere with it in anyway. You have my deepest condolences," Liara said, taking a cold and formal tone.

Shepard wanted to apologize, he wanted to say how he should be the one that was sorry, but he couldn't make out the words in the right way. He stumbled to say something, anything, yet nothing he could think of would help.

"Commander, I hate to interrupt you before you put your foot in your mouth, but we're approaching Noveria," said Joker.

Shepard walked over to the console by Joker.

"Approach Control, this is the SSV Normandy. Requesting a vector and a berth," Joker said.

A stern voice replied from the station. "Normandy, you're arrival was not scheduled. Our defense grid is armed and tracking you. State your business."

"Citadel business. We've got a Council Spectre aboard," Joker stated.

"Landing access granted, Normandy," said the voice. "Be advised, we will be confirming identification on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established, your vessel will be impounded."

The Normandy hovered into the port, magnetic clamps folding out to support it while it docked. A terminal extended over to the Normandy's main exit.

"Jesus, I don't what's colder, this weather, or their attitude. Have fun, Commander," Joker said.

Shepard's team walked to the exit, but Shepard stopped to look back at Liara. She stared at the floor, deep in thought.

"Are you coming?" Shepard asked.

Liara looked up, surprised. She hurried over to where the rest of the team stood awaiting the Commander.

Shepard walked into the terminal, the door behind them closing. The terminal went about its business, purifying the air and killing any foreign bacteria the team might've brought in with them.

"Their security is tight; I'm not sure I like that," Shepard said absent mindedly.

No one really wanted to break the silence after witnessing Shepard in that argument with Liara. _Great, just great, I try to keep a naïve little scientist from getting killed on a dangerous mission, and now my whole team doesn't want anything to do with me. Fine, just fine, if that's the way they want to be, then I'll be that way, _Shepard thought.

As soon as the terminal doors opened, Shepard walked through them quickly. He walked to the front, silently steaming with anger, each step a little too forceful, looking more like stomps. He was so angry he didn't notice he had walked up to the security check in for the port.

"That's far enough," said an asian woman wearing black armor. She wore her black hair in an oriental style bun, and was clearly the commanding officer. She stood in middle of two other guards, a blonde haired woman on the right and a Turian on the left; both held their weapons pointed directly at Shepard.

Shepard grimaced, still fuming with anger. _Who are these people? What gives them the right to order me around? _

"Stand aside, I have business in Port Hanshan, and I'd much like to get to it as soon as possible," Shepard said, clenching his teeth.

"What sort of business?" asked the woman, clearly the leader in the group.

"**Spectre** business. Means I don't have to tell you shit," Shepard answered.

"I don't like your tone, 'Spectre', said the Asian woman.

"I don't like my time wasted with stupid questions. My business is my own, and you'll do good to keep out of it," Shepard said.

"Don't believe a word that comes out of this freak's mouth, Captain Matsuo," said the blonde guard to the right.

"What's that supposed to mean, Blondie?" Shepard asked.

"It means that scar on your face makes you look like a circus freak," said the guard.

Shepard unsheathed his knife, just enough to show the shiny blade. "Would you like one to match?" He asked with a smile as bright and as evil as the blade itself. The guard flinched, content to back off for a while. Shepard pushed the knife back into its sheath.

"We'll see if your identity checks out." said Matsuo. She brought up a clipboard on her omni tool. "And what use do you have for these alien, vagrants, Spectre?" she asked.

Garrus was about to protest, before Shepard exploded.

"Vagrants!? Who are you calling vagrants, you back water, piece of shit, guard duty, yes-men! Each one of these soldiers has more skill than your entire security force combined!"

"I highly doubt that. What is that Quarian good for, stealing?" the blonde guard asked.

Shepard's left eye twitched, the leader had struck a chord that was not meant to be struck.

"Also, I must advise you that firearms are not permitted on Noveria. Sergeant Sterling, secure their weapons," commanded Matsuo.

Shepard's hand shot up to point at Matsuo, pistol at hand.

"Nobody takes my weapon," he warned, baring his teeth like a wolf.

Wrex and Garrus stepped forward, weapons at hand. The other soldiers raised their guns as well, Matsuo drawing a pistol to point at Shepard.

Matsuo spoke slowly, clearly much more alarmed than she had anticipated. "Look, you're identity as a Spectre has yet to be confirmed or denied, so until then, we have to treat you like regular civilian. Once we find out who you are, you can have your weapons back, ok?"

Shepard's grimace subsided, flowing into a gentle smile. He relaxed, lowering his weapon and holstered it slowly. He turned to the left to look back at his crew, smiling at them as well. Wrex and Garrus lowered their weapons, but Kaidan recognized that smile, his face dropping in horror.

"Oh no," he muttered.

Shepard took a step back with his right foot, shifting around quickly. His step became a leap, splitting the distance between the guards and Shepard in half. He took another step with his left, angling off to the Matsuo's right side.

The guards instinctively fired, hitting nothing but air, as Shepard took a step with his right, shooting both his hands in between Matsuo and the Turian like an arrow. His body rose, his hands splitting apart, snatching the out stretched arms of the both Matsuo and the Turian. He pulled each arm tautly to his body.

Shepard threw out his right leg, kicking Matsuo in the stomach. She flew back, slamming into Sterling with a grunt.

Shepard twisted the Turian's arm outward, passing the hand from his left to his right. Hearing a satisfying crack of bone, he launched his left fist into the Turian's face, toppling him over.

Shepard looked back at Sterling, whose weapon had been knocked out of her hand. He smiled creepily at her, sliding the knife out of his hilt ever so slowly.

Sergeant Sterling, now trapped under her dazed commanding officer, reached for the gun that had fallen out of her grasp and slid behind her. She turned to grab it, gripping it with one hand and swinging it around to point at Shepard, only for him to kick it out her grasp.

He kneeled down, getting very close to the sergeant, the knife in his hand terrifyingly close.

"Do you want to know how I got this scar?" he asked, his voice carrying a cruel tone of amusement.

"Captain Matsuo, Sergeant Sterling, stand down! We confirmed their identity; Spectre's are allowed to carry weapons here."

Shepard sheathed his knife, turning in the direction of the voice, and seeing a beautiful lady in a flowing red dress. _What a woman!_

The lady stepped over to the security station, and as she did, Shepard's eyes followed eagerly. She stuck out a hand towards Shepard.

"I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis. I apologize for the conduct of our guards."

Shepard took her hand gently in his. "Commander Blake Shepard, Council Spectre. And if you should be apologizing to anyone, it should be to your guards."

"Yes, well if you'd like to follow me this way, I can process you through customs and get you on your way," said Gianna.

Captain Matsuo woke up with a groan.

"What happened?" she asked clutching her side in pain.

"We got our asses kicked, maim," answered Sterling.

"Next time, just give me a magazine to read until you confirm my identity," Shepard suggested.

"Next you won't be so lucky," Sterling muttered.

"If you're lucky, Sergeant Sterling, there won't be a next time," Gianna said. "I've had enough of your provocation of anyone who walks through this port. And you, Captain Matsuo, you are responsible to keep Sterling in line. Please, Shepard, right this way."

Shepard nodded to his team, and they followed Gianna inside.

_Ahhh, now I feel much better, _Shepard thought to himself.

* * *

**To Airam, since the ending of Lost sucked so much.**


	14. Chapter 14: Pretty Girls and Corruption

**Bill here! I took awhile to write this one, I had midterms recently, but I finally finished it. I've read all the reviews you've given me, and your opinions are much obliged! This is a chapter about Noveria side quests, though there's only the quest to get the garage pass from Gianna and Lorik Qui'in. Plently of laughs, plot twists, hidden agendas, and most importantly : Blake Shepard killing people. Get it while it's hot, this stuff is fresh out of the oven. Leave a review if you liked the chapter, i love reading reviews! As always, enjoy!**

**If you want to read another good fanfiction, check out 'Solace before the storm' by Way of the Sheikah. **

**Chapter 14**

Liara was greatly troubled by what had occurred before her.

_What have I gotten myself into? This man, this 'Black Dog', is insane! He hasn't even gotten better since his childhood, if anything, military training has made worse! He took out those three guards without even using his gun, and that smile… _Liara shuddered. _That smile, that evil, disgusting, demonic smile. How could someone so violent, so horrible, so incredibly bad be the first human Spectre, or even a Spectre in general? Does the council pick these men out from lines of murderers and mental patients?_

Shepard had just attacked the three guards at the port's security entrance. Liara wasn't sure how, or even why Shepard would do it, he seemed like he just did because he was angry at the time. What she thought was just a simple security check with angry patron turned into a brutal physical confrontation. _Shepard had moved so fast, hands like a blur, his moves smooth and precise. It was amazing, _Liara thought dreamily. She shook, trying to get the thought out of her head. _No no no no, that was crazy and violent and inhumane! Blake is a psychopath with a license to kill! He's not a martyr, even if he does do something good once in a while._

The rest of the crew had varying reactions. Wrex, in classic Krogan form, had laughed; genuinely enjoying watching Shepard beat the guards senseless. He also seemed disappointed when the lady in red stepped in, his face going back to his usual bored, stoic look.

Garrus seemed to agree with Shepard's actions, he was clearly offended by the racist label of 'vagrant' that was cast by the blonde guard, but not as much a fan of violence that Wrex was. Both Wrex and Garrus were first to draw their weapons in the team, quick to back up their Commander. _They must be quite loyal to Blake. That's a strange thing to see between a Turian and Human, and a strange thing for a Krogan to do for any race. The three must have a wide rapport, _Liara thought.

Kaidan had seen something in Shepard's smile, something he had seen in Shepard before, which made him clutch his head with the knowledge of what was to come. _Kaidan seems to know Shepard the best, or at least the longest, _Liara thought.

Ashley and Tali were the most unreactive to what had happened. Ashley had taunted the blonde guard as she lay on the floor, but the two had just followed Shepard without really caring what happened. _Does this sort of thing occur often? _Liara wondered.

"Does this, sort of thing, happen often?" Liara asked the two women reluctantly.

"Not really. Usually Shepard kills them," Ashley answered.

"You get used to it," Tali added.

Liara wasn't sure how to respond to that as she walked quickly with the members of the other crew. They walked through the doors of Port Hanshan, past the three guards that that made the terrible mistake of challenging Shepard, following a lady in a red dress. She seemed to be some sort of secretary, possibly for the individual in charge of Port Hanshan.

Shepard seemed to enjoy following her, his eyes tracing along the curves of her red dress greedily, a dumb smile pasted over his face. Liara grimaced slightly. She did not like Shepard looking at another woman like that for some reason.

They followed the secretary into an office, alarms going off in the building, red lights blinking as Shepard and company walked in. Parasini clicked her Omni Tool and the alarms shut off.

"Please, follow me," she said politely, continuing through the office into an elevator. The team crowded into the small compartment as it went down into the port. Shepard stood at the front next to Parasini, his gaze drifting down to the skin that was left exposed by her low cut red dress. Liara clenched her fist in response, and to her right, she noticed that Tali had a similar response.

The elevator stopped, Parasini led the team across the entrance of the port, past the fountains, signs, and other decorative objects at the entrance, to a set of double doors into a large office. She turned to speak to Shepard.

"Administrator Anoleis would like to speak to you in person, in private, if possible," Gianna said, stressing the 'in private' slightly.

Shepard nodded dumbly. He turned to his crew, arms folding, thinking deeply.

"Garrus, Wrex, and Kaidan, go check out the local bar areas for information. Ashley, Tali, and Liara, see what you can find around the shops. I trust that none of my crew will be harassed by your guards, Gianna?"

Parasini smiled. "Of course not, Blake. All security forces have been informed that a Spectre and his companions have arrived to Port Hanshan and are allowed to carry firearms."

_She called him 'Blake'. A little too personal for someone you just met, don't you think? _Liara angrily thought, gritting her teeth.

"Good. Have fun everyone, I'll contact you when this business is done," Shepard said, following Parasini into the office, the door closing with a muffled thud.

"Did we just get ditched?" Garrus asked after a while.

"Seems like it," Wrex answered.

"I'm sure the Commander has important things to get done involving the Administrator," Kaidan suggested optimistically.

"Yeah, like that secretary. His tongue was hanging out his mouth like pendulum. I thought he was going to howl like a wolf for a second there," Ashley said.

"So it wasn't just me? I thought Shepard was acting very strange there for a second," Garrus said.

Tali interrupted. "I don't believe it! I mean, I don't think that Shepard would be so, vile. He's an Alliance soldier and Council Spectre, he can't act so, uncivilized, especially on a mission."

Wrex's voice rumbled as he broke into a laugh. "He's been shooting at people, running over Geth with an armored truck, carving assassins up with his knife, and beating up rent-a-cops with his bare hands, but now he's uncivilized?"

Tali's sight fell down to the floor.

"Well, maybe he's just…" Tali mumbled sheepishly.

"Anyway, the Commander gave us an order; we got to get to it," Kaidan said, turning to go in the direction of the bar area.

"Yeah, let's go to the bar for some 'information'," Wrex said as he followed Kaidan.

"I hear that! I hope they have everything in Dextro," Garrus commented before going after Wrex.

"…Bosh'tets," Tali muttered under her breath.

"I'm sure the Commander will take his job seriously. He is a professional, right?" Liara asked.

"Professional, sure, but a professional what exactly?" Ashley asked.

* * *

Shepard followed Parasini into the office, which was way too big, rivaling even the size of the Council's court room. Parasini walked past the unmanned secretary desk, opening a door to the left of it and holding it open for Shepard. He walked through, and was greeted by a strange shrill voice.

"Hello, Spectre Blake Shepard. I was wondering when you would walk in," said a well-dressed Salarian behind a large desk at the back of the office.

He got up from his chair, walking over to Shepard, and shook his hand awkwardly, a strange smile forming on his face. _Salarians don't shake hands, nor do they smile, normally. He's using human gestures to put me at ease. This guy wants something from me, _Shepard thought.

"Administrator Anoleis, I presume?" Shepard asked.

"Precisely. Can I get you a drink?" Anoleis indicated to his left, in the direction of a minibar.

_A drink? He's done a lot of research on humans, I suppose. This isn't the 1950's though. _

Shepard waved a hand in denial. "No thank you, I don't drink on the job."

"Ah yes, a sound idea. I must say, your arrival is quite a surprise. Not many Spectre's come to Port Hanshan. We're usually all on our own out here," Anoleis said, much too animated for a Salarian.

"I noticed. Your security seems to be quite taut," Shepard stated, folding his arms behind his back.

"Ah yes, I must apologize about the contact of my guards at your arrival. Such behavior is not allowed on my security force, and I will personally see that those three get their just desserts," Anoleis said.

'_Just desserts', eh? Let's play with him for a while, _Shepard thought.

"It's good that your guards are so strict. You never know who might be faking a Spectre status," Shepard replied.

"Yes, well my guards are quite perceptive when they need to be," Anoleis responded.

_That's it, make him flip flop. _

"You know, that blonde guard, Sergeant Sterling, she said some **very** xenophobic things to me and my crew," Shepard said informatively.

Anoleis's fake expressions began to weaken. "Well, she is quite unreasonable, I've decided that she'll be let go from the force."

"She did show great bravery against me, though. Quite an asset to your security force, don't you think?" Shepard said, changing his opinion again.

Anoleis stumbled on his words, unsure of how to respond. Shepard smiled.

"How about we cut the bullshit and get to the reason why we're both here?" Shepard asked.

Anoleis' fake smile dropped. "Very well, Spectre. Allow me to explain: at Port Hanshan, many companies come to use our testing facilities, and they do so because they know that they will not be hampered by constant red tape, chiefly provided by servants of the Citadel. It is because of this, that Port Hanshan has had such a success under my administration. Therefore, I would like to ensure that you would decide against any investigation into the business occurring on Port Hanshan and instead, accept my generous offer."

Anoleis tapped his Omni Tool, bringing up a hologram of a hotel.

"During your stay here at Port Hanshan, I'd like you to spend the day at our wondrous Marrion Hotel, complete with spa treatment for two."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "For two?"

Behind him a door opened, revealing Parasini dressed in a bikini, looking even more stunning before.

"Oh, right, for two," Shepard said, quite overwhelmed by her appearance.

"I'm sure you'll agree that this a much better alternative than spending the day going through legal records," said Anoleis with a smirk.

_Legal records? This guy thinks I'm here to dig up his dirty laundry. If only he knew what I was really here for, _Shepard thought.

He turned back to Anoleis, though quite reluctant to take his eyes off the beauty before him.

"Alright, I'll take your offer, if you include the price of supplies, fuel for my ship, any expenses of my crew, and a large sum of money I can think about spending while I write my report back to the Council. Deal?"

Anoleis smiled. "Deal."

* * *

Ashley, Liara and Tali were walking through the shopping area of Port Hanshan. It was a small area, not many people came through these parts, but each shop had quite a bit of variety.

Tali sighed. "I hope Shepard is ok," she said out loud.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's got that secretary with him," Ashley commented, looking through various items in a stall.

"I must admit, I am quite concerned," Liara said.

At the same time, all three women each received a message on their Omni tools. They opened them to find a message sent from Shepard.

"There, he must be telling us where to meet him," Ashley said.

Tali read the message quickly. '_Abort all investigation into the companies using research facilities on Noveria. Shore leave for all ground crew until further notice. All expenses will be paid for by Administrator Anoleis. Have fun.' _Tali read.

"What is this supposed to mean?!" Tali blurted out.

"What does he mean 'abort investigation into companies'? We're here trying to find Benezia! Why would he send us this message?" Liara asked.

Ashley rubbed her temples, closing her eyes in a deep thought.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed.

"You do?" Tali asked in surprise.

"Well, don't leave us in suspense," Liara answered.

"Ok, so administrator, what's his name, analysis? Anyway, the administrator wanted to see him right? Alone. And now he sent us this message to not investigate into any companies. That means, whatever they talked about was probably involving the companies we're not supposed to look into. They might be monitoring our Omni tools, so Shepard could be sending us this message so they think he's going along with their plan," Ashley explained.

"Whose plan?" Liara asked.

"The administrator's. He probably wanted to pay Shepard off, thinking that Shepard was here to dig up some dirt on whatever is going on here," Ashley said.

"So, Shepard is being bribed to do something he wasn't going to do anyway?" Tali asked.

"That sounds kind of strange," Liara commented.

"What does it matter? Did you not read the part where we get shore leave and all our expenses paid for?!" Ashley shouted with glee. "Let's go gun shopping!"

And with that, Ashley marched off to the nearest store, Liara and Tali following tiredly.

* * *

Garrus, Wrex, and Kaidan sat at a table in Port Hanshan's only bar. It was clean, bright, and business like, and Wrex didn't like it. But it still had Ryncol, which meant if he didn't like it, he could just get drunker.

The three had followed Shepard's orders up to going to the bar. As for getting information, they got kind of sidetracked, though Kaidan had asked the waitress where the bathroom was, so at least they knew that.

Wrex's arm beeped, his omni tool receiving a message. He clumsily pressed the message open, reading the holographic text.

Wrex swatted a hand at Garrus, who sat in the chair next to him.

"Hey, Turian boy. What does this say?" Wrex slurred.

Garrus grabbed the arm as it flung past his head, squinting slightly.

"I think it says 'shore leave'," Garrus mumbled out, also quite intoxicated.

Kaidan, the only one who felt it was paramount to stay sober, looked at his Omni Tool, reading the message from Shepard.

"It says that all expenses will be paid for by 'Administrator Anoleis'? And we get shore leave? What is going on with Shepard?" Kaidan asked rhetorically.

"It means we should order another round of drinks!" Garrus erupted.

"You got the right idea, Turian. More Ryncol!" Wrex shouted happily.

Kaidan sighed, partially worried about Shepard, but also worried that he'd spend the night babysitting a two of his drunken team members. _He did say 'have fun'. That sounds like him. That part about investigating companies doesn't make sense, unless…_

A heavy hand hit him on the back, as Wrex put a large glass in front of him.

"Drink up, Alliance boy! It'll make you grow big and strong!" Wrex said with a wide smile.

_I just hope my migraine doesn't team up with my hangover tomorrow, _Kaidan thought.

* * *

"Enjoying your massage?" Gianna asked

Shepard laid face down on a soft table, a young woman massaging his back. He raised his head to speak.

"So far, it's going pretty good. She's been finding knots in my back as hard as rocks. At one point I thought I had a piece of shrapnel lodged in me back there."

Gianna looked over Shepard's muscular body. She dropped her hand, extending one finger, stroking his back softly using the back of her fingernail. His skin prickled up, getting goose bumps, and he fidgeted slightly.

"You seem to have many scars, Blake," Gianna said.

Shepard chuckled slightly. "Yeah, well you should see the other guys. At least the ones that aren't vaporized."

Gianna laughed, perhaps a bit too much. "Yes, I've heard of your victories in the galaxy. The story of your origins is quite an inspiration to Earth born citizens as well."

Shepard turned, awkwardly, to look at Gianna in the eye. "And what do you know about being Earth born?" he asked, skeptically.

Gianna's eyes grew wide, looking away quickly. "I-I did not mean to offend you, Blake, I just meant-"

Shepard turned back to put his face back down on the table. "Relax, Gianna, I'm just wondering what exactly what you've heard about me. A man should keep in touch with his own reputation."

Gianna looked back, relaxing slightly. "Well, I've heard that your victory on Elysium was unprecedented. You single handedly fought off the Skylian Blitz, saving the colony."

Shepard was silent for a moment, making Gianna nervous.

"If I said anything to offend…"

Shepard interrupted. "No, it's fine, you didn't know. It's just that, that term, 'single handed', it's not true. I wasn't alone when they attacked, but I was the only one to survive. The ones I left behind, they are the real heroes."

The conversation went into an awkward moment of silence, the only sound being the rubbing of the masseuse's fingers on Shepard's back.

"But enough about me; let's hear about you, Gianna," Shepard said enthusiastically, breaking the silence with his powerful voice.

Gianna was uncomfortable, now being put on the spot.

"Well, there's not much to tell…"

"Nonsense. Every person has a life story, the just need to learn how to tell it," Shepard said.

"Perhaps we can save that conversation for dinner tonight?" Gianna suggested.

"Well, aren't you silver tongued? Using your background information to rope me into going on a date with you. I suppose you do need to keep up the appearance of mystery to keep me interested, eh?" Shepard asked jokingly.

Gianna chuckled lightly. "Oh, Blake."

* * *

Shepard walked arm and arm with beautiful Gianna Parasini. They had spent the day together, which started out with some spa treatment, a nice fresh steak for Shepard at dinner, and some of the finest drinks Shepard had tasted at the hotel bar. Gianna had been an excellent companion, a brilliant conversationalist, and an avid fan of Shepard's military status.

The night had gone by so fast so they decided to retreat back to their room, the largest suite at the hotel. The two arrived at the polished wooden doors, a luxurious entrance for such a simple thing as room and board.

"Wow, when Anoleis promises, he delivers," Shepard stated, looking at the etching in the decorative wood doors.

"Well, we certainly don't want you leaving anytime soon," said Gianna with a girlish giggle.

He opened the door, holding it for Gianna before following her inside. She walked through the room, sitting comfortably on the couch.

"Care to join me, Blake?" she said seductively.

"Don't mind if I do," Shepard said, making his way over to her. He brought his hands up to her soft face, bringing his face close to it. They kissed, long and passionately.

"You know, I've always been a fan of you, Blake. I mean, Blake 'Black Dog' Shepard, the black dog of the slums, the hero of Elysium, N7 operative, and now, the first human Spectre," Gianna said, her face close to Shepard's, her breath hot and heavy.

"Well maybe I can give you an autograph later. But for now…" Shepard leaned in, his face fitting nicely on the side of her neck, his teeth grazing lightly on her skin, his hand slipping under the bottom of her dress.

Gianna gasped, hitting him jokingly in the head. "Shepard! You dog! Behave yourself!"

Shepard chuckled. "Now you know why they call me 'Black Dog'."

"Well, perhaps I wouldn't mind if I got to spend the night with the Blake Shepard," Gianna said, her eyes avoiding Shepard's hungry gaze.

"Anything for a fan."

* * *

Shepard woke up in bed. The first thing he noticed was that he was naked under the sheets. The next thing he noticed was the barrel of the gun pressed against his forehead.

"Sit up, slowly."

Shepard complied, slowly rising from the bed into a seated position.

"You crooked, no good, back stabbing, piece of shit. You've got a lot of nerve getting the rank of Spectre and then turning around and accepting a bribe."

"Why don't you calm down, Gianna?" Shepard said coolly.

Gianna grimaced. "Why should I? Killing a crooked cop like you would be doing the galaxy a favor."

"How are you going to kill me if that pistol your holding doesn't have a mass accelerator in it?" Shepard asked, turning to face her.

Gianna looked at her gun and back to Shepard, confused. Shepard reached over to the nightstand, pulling open the drawer and removing a small box. He held in his fingers, displaying it victoriously, a small mass accelerator built to fit into small arms like the one Gianna pointed at Shepard.

"Did you really think hiding your gun with your underwear would stop me from finding it?" Shepard asked with a smirk.

She pulled the trigger, the gun clicking, but nothing else happened. She fired, again and again, the gun clicking, but nothing else. Shepard grabbed her wrist, moving very close to her. He spoke in a deep and low voice.

"Now, tell me again why I'm such a crooked cop."

Gianna looked up, fighting back a tear in her eye as she shouted angrily. "How could you do this? Just take his bribe, his dirty money, and let the law be broken like that! Why did you even become a Spectre if you're just going to go back on everything you swore to protect?!"

Shepard stepped back.

"What exactly do you think I'm here to do?" he asked slowly.

"Investigate the testing on Noveria! Dig up every bribe, every company cover up, every inhumane test, everything, and bury Anoleis and anybody else who was involved!" Gianna shouted emotionally.

Shepard began to laugh. Gianna watched him angrily as he laughed, still stark naked, until he clutched his stomach in pain.

"Ahahahaha! Oh my God, that's what you think I'm here for?! That's rich!" Shepard continued laughing.

"Well what are you here for, then, Mr. Spectre?" Gianna asked mockingly.

"How about we call in some room service and I'll show why I don't give two shits about Noveria's corruption?"

* * *

Gianna watched the hologram as Shepard munched on a piece of toast. Her mouth hung open, her eyes glued to the image of Geth ships, surrounding the unknown dreadnought ship as it landed on Eden Prime. The video finished, just as Shepard swallowed the last piece of crust.

Ginana sat in motionless for a moment, before supplying her inquiry.

"Let me just get this straight, just in case I'm missing something," Gianna began.

"Shoot," Shepard answered, sipping a cup of orange juice.

"So your mission is to find Saren Arterius and kill him?" Gianna asked in disbelief.

"Yep," answered Shepard.

"The Saren Arterius? The Spectre who fought against the Batarians in the Skylian Verge for decades? That Saren Arteirus?"

"The very same."

"And Matriarch Benezia?"

"She's Saren's second in command."

"And he has an army of Geth?"

"And a couple of Krogan too. Mercs, maybe."

"So you're not here to investigate the corruption on Noveria?" Gianna asked.

"Nope. Didn't even know there was any," Shepard said plainly.

Gianna's head fell; she let out a long sigh. "I've been undercover as Anoleis' secretary for six months now, trying to get a big break on him. I know he's corrupt, I just haven't found anything to prove it."

"So, your plan was to shoot me in this hotel?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I just, I mean, when I was growing up, your story was so inspirational. It was about a kid from nowhere, going into space and becoming one of the best soldiers in the humanity. You were the reason I joined the Alliance, but meeting you like this, watching you accept Anoleis' dirty money, I just couldn't take it," Gianna confessed.

"I see. Perhaps we can help each other." Shepard suggested.

Gianna raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, first off, has Benezia come through here recently?"

"Yeah, it was a big deal too. She left for Peak 15 days ago though."

"Well then that's where I need to go."

"You'll need a garage pass to access the research facilities."

"Anoleis won't give me one?"

"He wouldn't want you going anywhere out of Port Hanshan."

"You can't give me one?"

Gianna looked away; her eyes had a flash of ambition in them. "I could, but I'd need something in return…"

* * *

Kaidan woke up to the sound of his own head violently assaulting him. The migraine and hangover had indeed teamed up to lay his mind to waste, causing him to cringe in the fetal position. A gentle arm stroked his hair, and angelic whisper spoke in his ear.

"Wake up, Jedi."

Kaidan groaned, his head felt like it was being split open with an axe. It hurt to move, it hurt to think, and it even hurt to hear. He swatted the hand, no matter how angelic it was, away, struggling to stay asleep until his head ceased to be impaled.

The voice had other plans.

"Wake up, Jedi!"

The angel's voice changed to the voice into a shout of the damned, from the depths of hell itself. Kaidan shot up onto to his feet. He turned and looked at Ashley as she smiled at him.

"Have fun last night?" she asked cheekily.

Kaidan grabbed his head. "Ugh, I feel like I got shot in the head and lived."

Ashley handed a glass to him. Kaidan looked at the fizzy liquid with suspicion before downing it.

"So I heard you boys went drinking," Ashley began.

Kaidan nodded tiredly. The liquid had already begun to kick in.

"And I also heard you got hooked into drinking Ryncol," Ashley included.

"Wrex can be very persuasive when he's holding your mouth open with one hand and pouring with the other," Kaidan moaned.

"Did you get a message from Shepard?" Ashley asked.

Kaidan woke up slightly at the mention of the message. _Oh yeah, that weird message. 'Abort investigation' something, _Kaidan thought.

"Yeah I did. What was up with that?"

"I don't know, but I do know that I got some pretty neat stuff on the administrators tab," Ashley said with a smile.

* * *

"But there is one more, oh what is the popular human phrase? 'Fly in the lotion'? My office is being torn apart by Anoleis' thugs. You'll have to get past them to get to the evidence in my office."

Shepard sat at a table with a Turian named Lorik Qui'in, manager of the Syntheric Insights Noveria Branch, who had a sizeable amount of evidence that could be used against Anoleis, according to Gianna's sources.

Gianna said she would get Shepard a garage pass, but he first had to help her get Anoleis thrown behind bars, which was more complicated than simply shooting him, which was what Shepard was used to. To do that, he needed to get the evidence from Lorik Qui'in, but also he needed to convince Qui'in to testify against Anoleis in court. _That second part will be harder, I should wait until I have the data in my hands before I try to persuade him, _Shepard thought.

"I'm not sure if you're familiar with my reputation, but I assure you, Anoleis' guards won't be a problem," Shepard said confidently.

Qui'in brightened up. "Oh but I have heard of your heroics at the security check point. Captain Matsuo wanted to disarm you if I'm not mistaken. An unwise tactic…"

"I'll say. I'll get the evidence from your office then. Be back in a flash," said Shepard as he got up from the table.

"Do keep the blood off the carpet, would you?" Qui'in added.

"Of course."

* * *

Shepard arrived at the entrance of the Synthetic Insights offices. Three guards stood at the front, quickly barring Shepard's path.

_Three guards? That's all? Thugs these days, no reliability. I blame society, kids have no good role models anymore, _Shepard thought. He swung out his shotgun from his lower back.

"Who goes there? Identify yourself!" one guard barked out.

_I've had just about enough of demanding guards for one day, _thought Shepard.

He activated his cloak, disappearing right in front of the guards. They looked around, hurriedly, expecting to see Shepard appear from somewhere else, but only muzzle blasts from his shotgun could be seen. He fired three shots, and got three kills. _That's what I call efficiency, _Shepard thought.

He decloaked, stroking his Savage model shotgun intimately. "Que pasa, Maria? Did you miss me, mi Amor? I missed you, oh yes I did."

Shepard heard shouts, commands being barked out, specifically a shrill female voice yelling loudly.

"Go find out what happened, you idiots!"

"Dime Maria, would you like to dance?" Shepard asked his shotgun. He leaned against a wall, and upon hearing heavy footsteps getting closer, he cloaked. Five guards ran past him, intent on investigating the mess Shepard made, when Shepard stepped out from the wall.

_And now ladies and gentlemen, the mambo._

His first shot broke the silence with a crash, going into the back of the group, mostly hitting kinetic shielding except for one unlucky guard whose legs were clipped from behind by the Savage's round. The guard's legs buckled, he fell to the floor with a cry of pain. Shepard's second shot lit up the group of guards, their shields flashing as they disappeared. He fired a third time, the round going into two guards at the center of Shepard's aim, their armor crunching wetly as they flew back onto the floor with a spray of blood. Shepard turned to fire at the leftmost guard, hitting him in the upper leg area, just as he finally turned to face Shepard. The armor on his left thigh broke open; a gushing hole in his leg began pouring all the blood in his body out while he screamed in terror. Shepard turned to the last guard, who met Shepard's gaze like a deer in headlights.

The last guard raised his hands to surrender.

"Please! Don't shoot me! I have a wife and kids!" the guard exclaimed.

Shepard continued to point his shotgun, motioning to the door. The guard slowly turned to walk to the exit, his hand furthest from Shepard reaching down to his hip.

Shepard saw it coming before it even happened; the guard spun back around at Shepard, his pistol flying from the holster, swinging in a wide arc. Shepard pulled the trigger, hitting the guard in the back; the shoulder pad of his armor shredding on impact. The guard stumbled forward, grunting harshly. He tried to get up, but Shepard kicked the bloody mess of a wound, sending him to the floor on his stomach.

Shepard pointed his gun at the back of the guard's head, no remorse in his eyes.

"You don't deserve to be a father."

The round went off, hitting the guard in the back of the helmet, splitting it like a water melon. Shepard stepped off the guard's body, looking at the corpse with interest. _Looks like crimson dandelion, _Shepard mused.

_Now, if I was evidence, where would I be?_

He knew Lorik Qui'in was a manager here, which was pretty high up in the food chain, so his office should be quite large. He arrived as what he considered the plaza of a large office, when a shrill angry voice shouted at him from behind.

"Hey! Circus freak!"

_She just couldn't stay away from me, could she?_

"What's a matter, 'Spectre', you deaf or something?" the voice yelled.

Shepard turned to see the familiar face of Sergeant Sterling, her blonde hair and overconfident ignorance intact. She was flanked by two other soldiers, carrying high grade assault rifles

"I see you've decided to take some jobs on the side, Blondie," Shepard remarked.

"Anoleis pays more for jobs he doesn't want you to talk about," Sterling responded.

"I hope you have something hidden up your sleeve this time, Sterling. I'd hate to kill you without needing to use my gun," Shepard sneered.

Sterling smiled as a blue aura grew around her body.

_Oh shit, _thought Shepard, as she threw a biotic wave of energy at Shepard. It made a static crinkling noise as it tore up the air around it. He rolled to the right, avoiding the blast, throwing a tech grenade in return. The two soldiers jumped away, but Sterling just stood there.

The grenade exploded, a cloud of smoke filling the area. Shepard ran behind a couch, putting his back safely against cover. _Now that Blondie is done, I've only got those two soldiers to deal with._

"Did you think that little grenade would be able to kill me?!" Sterling yelled.

Shepard peaked out from cover to see Sterling surrounded by a ball of biotic energy, completely unharmed. _Her biotics are oddly superior. She couldn't be an L1; she'd have to be an L2, unless they've been producing new types of biotic amps._

Shepard cloaked, running silently across the room. He walked up to one of Sterling's soldiers, finding crouching behind cover, eyes scanning the room for a man that stood invisible behind him.

Shepard quietly unsheathed his knife, slipping it into the thin, flexible piece of armor covering the soldier's neck. The soldier jumped, and then went limp. _Silent and instantaneous, that's the best death I can give._

"Where are you, you piece of shit!? I thought you were going to kill me barehanded!" Sterling screamed. She stalked up and down the plaza, searching for Shepard with blood thirsty eyes, biotic blue energy swirling around her like evil smoke. Sterling's last soldier followed her, keeping a couple of steps behind her, just as wary of her as he was of Shepard.

_Perhaps he should be more wary of me, _Shepard thought, still invisible, slipping behind the soldier. He wrapped his hands around him, right hand gripping the soldier's chin, his left sliding across and grabbing the soldier's right shoulder. Shepard pulled, both of his arms yanking, his elbows flying back. With blood curling crack, the soldier went limp, his neck hanging to the side at an unhealthy angle. Shepard grabbed his armor before he fell to the ground, dragging him out of plain sight.

"I knew you were a freak, but I didn't know you were such a coward! I bet you got that scar from running away!" Sterling taunted, her voice still shrill as she shouted.

Shepard stepped out from a couch, standing across the plaza from her.

"Who are you calling a coward?" he yelled.

Sterling turned, seeing the man she had wanted to tear apart, to watch bleed, to see the life go out of his eyes. She smiled a crookedly evil smile.

"You got the drop on me last time; I couldn't use my biotics while on guard duty, since I'm not a registered biotic. But now, I can tear you to pieces and Anoleis will clean all up for me," Sterling happily.

"You wanted to know where I got this scar. It was from the same man that came at me with this knife." Shepard unsheathed his knife, the silver metal blade shined. He held it in his right hand at his side, his eyes fixed on Sterling, piercing into hers.

He took a step forward, slowly, and then another, and another. He began to walk at Sterling at a steady gait, his face wearing an unnaturally stoic mask of an expression.

Sterling was confused. "What, what are you doing? Get away!" She threw another bolt of energy at Shepard.

Shepard didn't get thrown, like Sterling imagined he would have. He didn't even slow down as the bolt hit him head on. The only indicator that Shepard had been affected by Sterling's biotics was that his face erupted into an angry expression. He howled, to her horror, and began running at her at full speed, swinging the knife savagely over his head.

Sterling panicked, out throwing bolt after bolt of biotic energy at Shepard, each doing as little damage to him as the first. She stepped back, trying to keep a distance from Shepard as he closed it rapidly. She flung her arms wildly, thrashing about, before she lost her footing. She fell backwards, falling on her back, but not on the floor.

Her back felt strange, cold actually. She didn't really feel any pain, nor did she feel scared anymore. She wondered why dimly. She looked back at Shepard, who had ceased his charge, before he disappeared right in front of her eyes.

"Did you really think I could resist your biotics head on?" Shepard asked, his voice speaking into her ear from behind.

"…hologram…" Sterling said weakly.

"That's right. It turns out that I didn't need my gun to kill you after all. I admit, your biotics were a surprise, but I suppose you didn't know about this little projector I keep on me. It helps distract people while I sneak behind them."

Shepard pulled his blade out from Sterling's back; the wound was a neat cut perpendicular to her spinal cord, severing it mid torso. The blade was stained red, but still shined its sinister crimson texture.

Shepard let Sterling fall to the ground, the wound in her back leaving her harmlessly paralyzed. She suffered from shock, Shepard surmised, her taunting had finally ceased, her mouth now content with a faint smile. The blood leaked out of her body, quickly making a puddle of red blood around her. In contrast, her skin began to turn white as porcelain. Shepard cocked his head to the side at the sight. _She looks a little like the Virgin Mary, her skin so white, a red aura surrounding her. She's much more pleasant while she's dying than when she was alive, that's for sure._

"Go in peace, Sergeant Sterling," Shepard whispered softly.

"…Thank you, Black Dog…" Sterling managed to say, her eyes glazing over in a familiar death indicator.

* * *

"I found the data," Shepard said as he approached the bar table that Lorik Qui'in sat in.

Qui'in sat up straighter in his seat, his face plates rising up in an impressed expression.

"I must admit, Spectre, when I spoke with you about this matter earlier, I had only mild speculation about the chances of its success. I see you have proved me wrong."

"Well, it wasn't without its obstacles. There is quite a bit more blood on the floor than I intended."

Shepard sat down in the seat across from Qui'in.

"I need something from you, Qui'in," Shepard said bluntly.

Qui'in frowned. "Nothing else was mentioned in our previous arrangement," he stated.

"I know, but I need you to testify against Anoleis in court," Shepard said.

Qui'in turned away, denying Shepard's request. "No thanks. There is nothing in this deal you can tempt me with now that Anoleis' thugs are dead."

Shepard pointed a finger as he spoke to Qui'in. "Anoleis is corrupt, you know he's corrupt! He even tried ransacking your office to find evidence against him. He's been harassing people here for years, and you'd be the one involved in bringing him down. People around here would see you as a hero."

Qui'in looked back, intrigued. "…Hero?" he said in question.

Shepard leaned back in his seat, satisfied with the result of his persuasion.

"You know, with Anoleis in jail, Port Hanshan will need another administrator. I think you'd be in good standing for that position after your testimony," Shepard said with a smirk.

Qui'in looked even more thoughtful, his eyes shining brightly as he imagined the sight. He slammed a clenched claw on the table.

"I'll do it!"

* * *

"I just wanted to thank you again, Shepard," Gianna said shyly.

Shepard chuckled. "Call me Blake. I like the way you say it."

Gianna looked up, her eyes sparkling like diamonds. "Blake, I think I'm in love with yo-"

Shepard put a finger to her mouth, stopping her words. "I'm an old soldier. You have your whole life ahead of you, but me, I might die a week from now. You wouldn't do too well as a widow. Find someone else, someone you truly care about, and hang on tight, kiddo."

His words were wise and parenting. Gianna took them to heart as she hugged Shepard's wide form. She looked up, tiptoeing to reach his tall head, laying a soft kiss on his cheek. He smiled fondly at the warm feeling he felt.

Gianna turned to follow Lorik Qui'in and the two guards leading an angry looking Anoleis in cuffs out of the Port. She turned around playfully, waving back at Shepard.

"Goodbye Blake! Next time I see you, I owe you a drink!"

Shepard waved back. _Goodbye, kiddo._

Gianna and company went into the elevator, closing as it went back up to the surface. They would then board a ship to the Citadel, where Anoleis would be put on trial. Lorik Qui'in would testify, cementing Anoleis' fate behind bars, and Gianna would surely get a promotion after taking down such a large corrupted official.

Shepard thought about the look on Anoleis' face when the two guards had burst into his office, two men that had formally worked for him, pushing him roughly onto the surface of his desk while the put restraints on his wrists. He imagined it wouldn't have been a pretty sight, unless of course Anoleis had ransacked your office forcibly, tearing up your desk and personal effects, along with years of corporation extortion and harassment.

Shepard was shaken out of his thought by a voice he heard from behind him.

"Commander! Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you!"

Shepard turned to see his whole team behind him. Ashley had asked the question, but he could see that Liara and Tali stood uneasily, even Kaidan looked mentally strained. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh here and there. Getting some business done, taking care of some the obstacles in the way of our mission, but I've completed everything we needed to do," Shepard said.

"Yeah, sure, whatever Lover boy. You say goodbye to Ms. Lady-in-Red ?" Ashley asked.

"Hmm? Oh Gianna? Yeah, I said goodbye. She's going back to the Citadel. Some sort of trial she's involved with, I didn't really ask too many questions about it," Shepard answered casually.

"Why is there such a large smile on your face? Am I missing something?" Garrus asked.

Shepard brought a hand to his mouth, unaware of the smile that was on his face. He turned back to the closed elevator, gazing thoughtfully.

_You take care of yourself, _he thought.

He shifted around back to his team, his face now wearing its usual mask.

"Alright people, grab your gun and a pair of mittens, we're heading to peak 15," Shepard said to the group.

"Wait, we're going out on the surface of Noveria?" Garrus asked worriedly. "You know that Turians don't do well in the cold, right?"

Shepard looked at Garrus with a smirk.

"Better put on some long johns."

* * *

**To Airam, who puts up with my immaturity, despite how awesome i truly am.**


	15. Chapter 15: Goldilocks and Rachni

**Bill here! This chapter is pretty lighthearted, but it's got some feels that will hit you where they hurt. Shepard and company go to Peak 15 to find Benezia, only to find Geth and Rachni. If you like this chapter, leave a review. As always, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Garrus followed Shepard's lead. He did not like the idea of going out onto the surface of Noveria at all, but a mission was a mission. Garrus had given his loyalty to Shepard, risked it all to follow a man who he believed to be on the right path, and made a pact with him.

_A pact I will not soon forget, _Garrus thought, looking down at his father's pistol in its holster.

The group made its way to the garages of Port Hanshan, where Garrus presumed there would be a Mako or other form of armored tank for them to ride in. _Spirits, if I have to get out into the cold, I'll shatter like a pane of glass, _Garrus thought.

They arrived at the elevator, all seven people squeezing into the compartment made for five humanoid sized patrons. _The addition of the Krogan didn't help either, _Garrus thought.

He stared at Wrex, who seemed a bit bored, just waiting around for the action to start. Garrus recalled the words he said.

"…_the best fights come to you." _Garrus remembered Wrex saying. _He certainly follows his own doctrine, that's for sure._

"You got a problem with your eyes, Turian?" Wrex rumbled, quite annoyed with Garrus gazing at him.

Garrus was snapped out of a daydream. "Oh, just admiring those boyish good looks of yours, Wrex," he responded smartly.

The elevator doors opened, and the team flooded out, following Shepard as he approached the garage door. A guard stepped forward to bar him entry.

_Please just let him pass, I really don't want to see any poor guards get beaten senselessly again, _Garrus thought.

"Sir, you need authorization to access the garage," the guard said.

"I have authorization," Shepard answered, handing him electronic key.

The guard took the key, examining it with his Omni Tool. He looked up quickly, giving the key back, and opened the doors.

"Have a good day, sir," the guard said with a slight bow.

Shepard nodded his head, happy that he finally got through a check point without any trouble. The group followed him into the large expanse of area that was the garage of Port Hanshan.

The garage was a large, tall area filled with boxes, supplies, and vehicles. Shepard walked over to the one of the vehicles, which was being worked on by several mechanics. Garrus and the rest of the group followed.

"Is this truck ready for use?" Shepard asked at one of the workers.

The mechanic who was in charge, at least Garrus thought he was in charge since he seemed to be the only one not working, turned to speak to Shepard.

"No, this one is in for maintenance. You see those three over there?" The mechanic pointed to the other side of the garage at a group of vehicles. "Those are good for the trip up to the peaks. Let me know which one you want to use before you go, ok?"

Shepard looked over to where he pointed, looking back at the mechanic.

"Thanks."

"No problem. My name is Dave, talk to me if you have any more questions."

The group made its way to the three vehicles. The three trucks were slightly different from each other; one was much larger than the two, another was about medium sized, at least Garrus supposed it was under a grey coversheet that hid its appearance, and the last was downright tiny for an armored vehicle. Garrus looked over each truck with a critical eye.

"Which one do you think we should take, Garrus?" Shepard asked Garrus as he stood next to him.

Garrus looked at the smaller truck, which had Tali waist deep in the electrical components she was busy examining, to the larger truck, which Wrex was jumping on to tilt, testing the suspension system. Garrus looked confusingly from one to the other.

"It's hard to say, really. The larger vehicle has stronger armor, more firepower, and of course, more room. But the smaller vehicle is smaller, faster, harder to hit, and much more agile. It's hard decision to make," Garrus said.

"Well, we've got a real 'Goldilocks' situation here," Shepard said with a chuckle.

Garrus turned to Shepard, totally confused. "I'm sorry, but 'Goldilocks'?" Garrus asked.

Shepard sighed. "It's this tale about a girl in the woods who finds a cabin that belongs to three bears-"

Garrus interrupted. "Bears? Like the Earth animal bears? They make cabins?"

"No they don't, but they do in this tale. Anyway, they weren't in the cabin at the time, so Goldilocks walks in to find some food-"

Garrus interrupted again. "She just walks into some else's cabin? Who taught her that was ok? And where did the bears go? To the bear grocery store?"

"Look, it's a really weird and messed up tale, ok? Anyway, she walks in and finds three bowls of porridge-"

"Seriously? Bears eating porridge? What, do they drink coffee too? Go to church? Pay taxes?" Garrus asked.

"That's not the point Garrus! The point of the tale is that Goldilocks gets three choices, one is too big, one is too small, but the third is just right," Shepard said, indicating to the truck in the middle of the three.

Garrus looked at the middle truck, covered by a large grey sheet.

Shepard and Garrus pulled the sheet off the metal mass, revealing an armored truck under it. The hull shined in a way that was so strangely attractive to Garrus that he might've swooned if he was a weaker Turian.

"She's perfect…" Garrus said in a daze.

"Yes she is," Shepard agreed. He waved over to the direction where Dave's men worked. "Hey Dave! We'll take this one!"

* * *

The group rode in the armored truck, driving along the frozen snowy path up to Peak 15.

"I still think we should've gotten that smaller one," Tali grumbled from her chair at the Mako's main computer.

"And I still think the bigger model was best. The guns had so much firepower it could bring down a mountain!" Wrex exclaimed.

"Just the weight of that truck could bring down a mountain. And can you honestly see us traveling comfortably in that tin can of a vehicle, Tali?" Shepard asked as he drove the truck.

Both Tali and Wrex muttered something under their breath, as Shepard smiled, content. His eyes saw something in the distance, squinting.

As the truck continued to travel, the object got closer, darker against the bright white surroundings. Shepard's eyes went wide as the object came closer.

"Oh god…" Shepard mumbled.

What Shepard saw was another truck, clearly destroyed by some sort of large explosive. The truck came to a stop as it neared the wreck.

"What? Why are we stopping here?" Ashley asked, confused.

"Commander, what's wrong?" Kaidan asked, putting a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

"I don't think Benezia came alone," Shepard said plainly, indicating in front of him.

The rest of the team looked through the front screen at the other vehicle's remains. It had been hit by an explosive device, broken open, almost split completely in half. The former occupants were strewn across the snow, now roasted corpses. In a week, Shepard surmised that the snow and ice would cover their bodies, burying them in a frozen tomb, never to be seen again. He clenched his teeth, moving the truck forward, around the wreck.

"I'm tired of finding dead innocents along my path."

* * *

"Geth Prime!" Wrex shouted out.

A loud crash hit the metal plate the group hid behind. Shepard peeked out only to duck under a line of gunfire that rattled over him.

_Send a berserker to distract the group as you pick them off at a distance, _Shepard thought. He turned back to his companions.

"Wrex! Tali! Take out that Geth Prime!" Shepard shouted over the crashing of explosives behind the wall.

"On it, Shepard!" Tali said, tapping on her Omni Tool, crouching behind Wrex as he charged the Geth with a loud roar. The Geth Prime tried to slap Wrex away, but his body froze in place. Wrex tackled it, smashing its limbs apart like dried bones.

Shepard pointed his rifle up at the railing to their left, firing at a Krogan that tried to flank them. The Krogan cringed and fell over the railing, crashing into the floor with a wet slam, dead. The railing was elevated, about ten meters, extended across the side of room, which gave whoever was on it a height advantage.

_Use higher ground to your advantage; keep the group from spreading out too much. _Shepard thought.

"Garrus, take Liara and Ashley, and get up on that railing, give us some cover fire!"

"Got it! Liara, if you wouldn't mind?" Garrus asked.

Liara used her biotics and lifted Garrus and Ashley up over the railing, following them up with a leap. A steady stream of fire began to fly over the area across at the other side of the room.

_Classic assault tactics; simple, yet effective. Two can play at that game, _Shepard smirked.

Shepard tapped Kaidan on the shoulder. "Kaidan, you're with me! Let's see what these guys look like up close!"

Kaidan followed as Shepard ran to the right, across the room. The enemies' line of fire split; some of them now turning to shoot at Shepard and Kaidan, while others continued to fire at Garrus' group. The two jumped into cover, rolling behind random crates and boxes.

"These guys aren't messing around," Kaidan commented.

"If I wasn't sure, I'd say that there were trying to kill us," Shepard chuckled.

"I know right? I mean, what the hell?" Kaidan asked, shrugging his shoulders.

The two laughed loudly, until a shrill voice broke through the laughter.

"Are you two quite finished?!" Tali yelled across the room, crouching behind cover next to Wrex, his armor stained by his orange Krogan blood.

"Yeah, quit distracting me, Kaidan!" Shepard said, raising his rifle at a group of two Krogan across the room. He knocked one of them back so hard with a shot, the Krogan's helmet split apart, displaying his face all bloody and mangled. Shepard smiled, until he saw the Krogan next to him get hit in the visor, falling forward over his cover, also dead.

Shepard turned to the railing, where Garrus stood holding his rifle, smiling a Turian smile.

"Scoped and Dropped!" Garrus yelled.

"This isn't over, Vakarian!" Shepard yelled back, shaking a fist.

* * *

When it was all over, there were Krogan bodies everywhere. Their armor was a dark black, but now covered in their own neon orange blood. It wasn't a pretty sight, only Wrex was laughing his usual boisterous laugh.

"Those pyjaks didn't know who they were messing with," Wrex said heartily.

"It was a lot easier to shoot them once I was on that ledge," said Garrus.

"I know, cheater," Shepard replied.

"Don't be mad just because I got more head shots than you," Garrus pointed out.

"You didn't get more head shots that me, I was counting," Shepard corrected.

"So was I."

"I got five."

"And I got six."

"No you didn't, you got four, I counted."

"You counted mine? How did you even shoot any of them if you were watching me the whole time?"

Shepard looked away. "I multitask…"

"Oh, whatever Commander!" Tali broke in.

"Quit it with pissing match, guys," Ashley said.

"It doesn't matter who got more head shots, anyway. But for the record, I did," Garrus said.

"Your ass is grass, Vakarian. Just wait until we get to some forested area, then we'll see who scores the most points," Shepard said angrily.

"Looking forward to it," Garrus answered.

"We should continue into the research facility. Benezia won't be waiting at the door, you know?" Kaidan suggested.

Shepard turned back into 'Commander' mode, shedding his playful disposition.

"Move out!"

* * *

As the company walked through the hallways of Peak 15, an uncertain atmosphere was present. It was subtle, yet unmistakably existent. Something about the floors, the walls, even the smell in the air, it made the group on edge. This feeling was confirmed when they found the exterior machine guns pointed inward at the security checkpoint.

"I wonder why they are pointed inward," said Ashley, looking at the guns.

Shepard kicked one of the gun turret's ammo compartments. "I'm wondering why they are empty. What did they have to shoot at?"

"I suppose they wanted to keep their own people in more than they wanted to keep other people out?" Kaidan surmised.

"This place… feels strange," Liara said. "It's like something is here, something that hasn't been around for a long time."

"Indeed," Wrex rumbled. Usually Wrex wouldn't participate in banter between squad mates, but even to him, something was amiss. Nonetheless, they continued on, past the turrets and through the doors.

They came out into a wide area, possibly a plaza of some sort, a place that would normally be bustling with people, now completely devoid of a single soul.

The breeze picked up as an air filter kicked on, blowing a strange scent into Shepard's nostrils. He inhaled, taking in the smell, searching his mind for the right words to describe it. The scent was spiky, most likely acidic, but also sour, like spoiled meat. Shepard's nose twitched at the smell; it was quite unpleasant.

Wrex noticeably tensed, spreading his feet wider, drawing his weapon quietly, his face clenching together, eyes squinting as they began to scan the surroundings.

"You smell it too?" Shepard asked.

Wrex grunted, eyes still patrolling the area.

"It's an old scent. Older than me. I don't like it."

Shepard discretely unhostlered his shotgun, following Wrex's lead by keeping a wide field of vision.

"Have you ever smelled anything like it?" Shepard asked.

"No. But I think I may have an idea of what it is."

"And?"

"I hope I'm wrong," Wrex answered bluntly.

_That doesn't sound good, _thought Shepard. _Shotguns take point, biotics behind, assault rifles in the back, with one shotgun to watch the rear._ He turned to the rest of the crew behind him.

"Kaidan, left flank behind me, Liara, right flank behind Wrex, Garrus behind Kaidan and Ashley behind Liara. Tali, watch the rear, and watch it well. Anyone sees anything move, shot first, sort it out later," Shepard said softly, organizing the group into two rows of three, with Tali bringing up the rear. _This formation should keep us from being overwhelmed by whatever it is that's here. I can't help but to admit, the smell is ominous. I feel like I've smelled it before, but I just can't put my finger on what it is exactly._

The group moved through the plaza, walking slowly, eyes scanning everywhere for movement. They made their way across the flat zone to some stairs leading up to an office area. Past that was the path that led further into the research facility.

Something in one of the empty office spaces moved, rattling a metal grate. A small rat ran out of the room, scurrying away like its tail was on fire.

The whole team jumped a little, the sound broke the silent tension that was in the air. An audible sigh was heard behind Shepard, as his eyes saw something that didn't make sense. The grate was floating in midair, moving slightly from side to side. Shepard looked at with disbelief and a certain amount of hostility, as he raised his shotgun.

"Movement," he spoke sternly enough for the rest of the crew to snap back to attention.

The grate fell, or rather, was thrown, out of the office area to where Shepard and Wrex stood side by side. It landed at Shepard's feet, his eyes stuck on where the grate had been thrown from.

A burnt red colored tentacle-like appendage stuck out from the office, its owner still hidden behind the office's wall. A particularly strange and blood curling munching sound could be heard, as the tentacle turned and moved back behind the wall.

Shepard and Wrex looked at each other in disbelief.

_What the hell is that thing?! _Shepard yelled internally.

He moved forward, indicating to Wrex to do the same. They kneeled at each side of the hallway's entrance, the office with the mystery tentacle monster just a few meters in front of them on the right. Shepard motioned to the rest of the crew to move up with him, when one of the crew behind him stepped on something.

It cracked, making a sound so enormously loud in contrast with the silence the group was trying to keep that it might as well have been a gunshot. Whatever broke must've been made out glass; the distinct shattering sound was familiar in Shepard's ears. To his horror, the once deplorable gnawing sound that came from the office room stopped, as whatever resided there took a sudden interest in the shattering glass.

And that's when Shepard heard the loudest, most unholy high pitched sound, followed by limbs scurrying on metal flooring as the thing came out of the office room.

Shepard wasn't sure what he had expected, but now, standing in front of him, seemed to be a giant shrimp, if it lived in the depths of hell. In every way, it was prawn like, except in a sinister and poisonous way. It's 'mouth' was a snout with smaller mandibles acting as 'teeth'. Coming from its back, twirling evilly, were two red wicked tentacle appendages with mouth like ends.

Shepard looked directly into the prawn's eyes, and for a moment, time stood still. The moment was broken when the two tentacles retracted; Shepard flinched and pulled the trigger on his shotgun.

The round hit the prawn in the front, its carapace still intact despite the heaviness of the round. The prawn sneered, a grating sound like metal scraping metal piercing into Shepard's ears.

"Watch out!" Wrex shouted, grabbing Shepard by the arm and pulling him away.

The prawn's tentacles shot out with a snap. Shepard heard a splat, a sound like a loogie hitting the floor. He turned and looked at where he stood before; the floor was now covered with slimly green goo. Steam rose from the goo, as the metal flooring began to dissolve with a sizzle.

Shepard turned back to the prawn, pointing his shotgun in fear. He fired again and again, he would not let himself get hit with that liquid.

"Light him up!" Shepard roared, face in a snarl, illuminated by his muzzle blasts.

The air became hot, as seven people began shooting. The noise of the gun fire reminded Shepard of rain when hitting the roof of the house when he was a child; it seemed to have the same calming effect.

The torrent of ammunition worked like a high pressure water hose; it sprayed the monster, pushing it back as its legs struggled to hold their ground. Eventually, its carapace failed, breaking open to expose its soft insides, shortly before being spilt in half by the gun fire.

The group stopped shooting when the thing was split apart, practically torn to pieces, its body parts scattered about. Shepard breathed heavily; sweat pouring from his forehead, trying to regain his composure.

"What, what the hell was that thing?" Shepard asked, out of breath.

Wrex walked up to the corpse, nudging on of the prawn's insect like legs with his foot. Slimy red goo oozed out from where it was cut from the rest of its body.

"Rachni, believe it or not," Wrex said thoughtfully.

"Rachni!? Like, **the Rachni**?! Like 'Rachni Wars' rachni?! That Rachni?" Kaidan asked desperately.

Wrex turned back to face the rest of the group. His face was strangely troubled, as if he was concerned about something.

"Yes, that Rachni. I don't know how, nor do I why, but that's what that thing was. And you can bet that there are more of them."

"Shit," Shepard cursed under his breath. _First Geth, now Rachni, how many species that haven't been seen in centuries are going to attack us?_

"This must have something to do with Benezia," Liara surmised.

"And Saren," Shepard said bitterly.

"Maybe that's his endgame. Bring back the Rachni, make an army of them, and use it to take over Citadel Space. We might have stumbled onto his Rachni breeding grounds," Kaidan suggested.

"That would explain his interest in the Protheans. They were known to use the Rachni as pawns to fight against one another. They later attempted to eradicate them, and believed that they had, however the Rachni persisted somehow," Liara explained.

"Maybe. But I think Saren still has something bigger planned. It still doesn't explain that ship, nor does it explain why Benezia would join him. I think we're just scratching the surface," Shepard stated.

"The Rachni are not to be toyed with. They are smarter than they look, hive minded, controlled by a queen somewhere underground. We must find her and kill her, that's the only way to keep the Rachni from taking over this whole planet," Wrex said.

Shepard looked at Wrex. _He seems to be very on edge. The appearance of the Rachni must have hit home for him, _Shepard thought.

"What I want to know is why they are here in the first place? I mean, these things are supposed to be dead for centuries, but they just appear out of nowhere, research lab? I don't buy it," Ashley said.

"Indeed. Where do you procure a member of a long extinct species after they've been hunted to oblivion?" Garrus asked.

"The rachni are smart. They must have had sleeper cells planted all over the galaxy, eggs in cryogenic stasis, waiting to hatch after the universe believes they are extinct," Wrex said.

"Only more reason we should get to the bottom of this," Shepard said.

* * *

The group walked along the path's metal railings.

Wrex was feeling very agitated. The appearance of the Rachni had awoken something in him, a genetic hatred perhaps, and he couldn't shake off the mood he was in.

Normally, Wrex would keep calm, conserved, and keep a level head, to prevent himself from getting too carried away. Anger was useful, but it was sometimes blinding, and being blind in a dangerous situation can get you killed. This was a lesson Wrex had learned very well and would not soon forget.

He walked behind Shepard, who led the group through the railings in a single file. _He was surprised by that Rachni, a bit shell-shocked, though, who wouldn't be? I'm glad he's back on his feet, I'd hate to see this human go limp when he's shown so much promise in battle, _thought Wrex.

Shepard stopped, looking above them, holding a hand up behind him. Wrex supposed that this was a human gesture, obviously meaning 'stop', which Wrex did. He sniffed around, trying to confirm if any other Rachni were present, waiting to ambush them around a dark corner.

A whisper came from behind Wrex.

"What is it? More Rachni?" asked Kaidan.

Shepard spoke back quietly.

"No. Geth," Shepard answered.

"How can you tell?" Kaidan asked.

"I can feel them," Shepard stated.

_Instincts, this kid has good instincts, _Wrex thought.

"Tali, run a scan, see how many there are," Shepard said behind him.

Tali tapped on her Omni Tool veraciously.

"I can't! They're blocking the signal!" Tali said, whispering yet yelling at the same time.

Shepard still kept his eyes on the cat walks above.

"That's fine, I know where they are. You guys stay here, Kaidan is in charge," Shepard said.

"Where the hell are you going?!" Ashley and Kaidan asked in an angry whisper.

Shepard turned to look at them with a blank face.

"I'm going hunting," he said, as he activated his tactical cloak, his body disappearing from sight. Light steps could be heard on the metal floor as Shepard made his way into the Geth infested area.

Kaidan sighed, and Ashley put a hand to her face.

"Does he do things like this a lot?" Liara asked innocently.

"Are you kidding me? He wrote the book on stupid maneuvers like this," Ashley replied.

"But, he must be good if he would even consider such a tactic, right?" Tali asked.

"He's good, but that doesn't mean he's not crazy," Kaidan answered.

A shot could be heard, much too loud and powerful to be anything of Geth make, nor anything that wasn't a single shot sniper rifle like Shepard's. The group listened for another shot, but heard nothing.

"He must have a sense of limitation at some point," Liara said.

"You'd think that, but I've never seen him hit it. Despite the terrible situations we've been in, there hasn't been one bad enough to take the Commander out," Kaidan said.

"How bad has it gotten?" Tali asked.

Kaidan looked back at Tali, his face grimaced at the subject. He tried to smile through it, weakly.

"Pretty bad."

Another shot, just like the one before, followed by two more just like it. The sounds echoed through the facility, like an ill omen.

"Three shots. Either he missed twice, which I highly doubt, or he just took out three Geth in record timing," Kaidan said.

A Geth fell form the upper cat walk, slamming into the metal floor in front of the group.

Wrex pointed his shotgun at it, as the rest of the group drew their weapons.

The Geth was laying on its face, looked quite rough, it's insides visibly mangled through the hole in its back.

"Make that four," Kaidan added.

"Guys, relax, it's me."

Shepard's voice spoke from nowhere, until he materialized, standing on top of the fallen Geth.

"Tali, run a scan again," he said.

Tali looked down at her left wrist, her Omni Tool lighting up.

"They aren't blocking my signal anymore, and there doesn't seem to be any live Geth in the area," Tali answered.

"I thought so. Those sniper Geth have some sort of jamming device, makes it so they can hide better. But, since they jam your sensors before they ambush you it gives them away a bit. Kind of a poor use of tactics," Shepard explained.

Wrex smiled bigger than he had in a long time. _This guy, this human, is my favorite kind of crazy, _he thought.

"Let's go kill some Rachni!" said Wrex, slapping Shepard on the side.

"Hey! I'm the one that's supposed to give commands," Shepard answered.

* * *

The group reached the elevators. After running around in Rachni and Geth infested areas, turning the power back on manually, and Tali making use of her hacking skills, the group piled into an elevator that would take them down into further the facility.

_I suppose if we keep going down, we'll eventually find Benezia. If she's not already dead for some reason, _Shepard thought.

The elevator reached the bottom floor, the doors opening to reveal a row of guns pointed at them.

"State your business!" yelled a voice, tired and irritable.

"Ummm," Shepard stuttered out.

"State your business, or I swear, I'll cut the eyes out of each and every one of you!" the voice roared.

"Spectre Business! I need to speak to Benezia. Stand down!" Shepard shouted.

The man who spoke sighed, looking visibly exhausted. He signaled the rest of the guards, they lowered their weapons.

Shepard looked around. The faces of the guards were haggard, wilted, and hopeless. _They must have been here for days now, _he thought.

"Captain Ventralis, head of the ERCS personnel assigned to Noveria," the man said, sticking out his hand to Shepard.

Shepard took it with vigor, making a clapping sound as the two hands met.

"Commander Blake Shepard, Systems Alliance, Spectre," he said.

Ventralis' eyes widened.

"Blake Shepard? The Blake Shepard? 'Black Dog' Shepard?" he asked, amazed. Some of the other guards brightened up, their faces showing a small sliver of hope.

"Yes yes, don't make a big deal out of it," Shepard said, waving a hand.

Ventralis snapped out of his boyish amazement.

"Of course! I'm sorry for the harsh introduction, but we've been under attack for quite a while," he said.

Shepard cocked his head to the side.

"Well, perhaps I can change all that."

Behind Shepard, came a rumbling from the grates by the entrance. The hollow echoing sound was a clear indicator of an approaching Rachni soldier.

Shepard held a hand up to Ventralis, keeping his assault rifle from rising. He gave him a comforting look.

"I got this," Shepard said calmly, stepping forward and unfolding his sniper rifle from his back. He pointed the end of the barrel at the large grate by the elevators; a distance of about ten meters separated the elevators and the makeshift cover.

The rumbling in the vents behind the grate got louder, the loud screeching yell of a Rachni came out. Finally a Rachni Soldier burst out of the grate angrily.

Shepard let loose one round from his rifle, drilling a hole through the center of the Rachni's body before it even got a chance to charge. The alien insect fell down to its side, dead.

"Well then, back to business. Can you tell me where all these Rachni are coming from?" Shepard asked, casually folding his rifle back up and placing it on his back once more.

Captain Ventralis stared at the dead Rachni for a couple of seconds before addressing Shepard.

"I'm not sure how they got here, but the Rachni seem to be coming from the hot labs for now. They keep hitting us again and again. Even animals should know not to stick their noses where it hurts," Ventralis said.

"They're not animals. Whatever they're doing, it must be part of some plot of theirs. We should cut them off at the source," Wrex stated.

"Right. Captain, is that elevator to the hot labs operational?" Shepard asked, pointing at one of the elevators.

Captain Ventralis blinked. "Yes but, you're going down into the hot labs? On the advice of a Krogan? That's suicide!"

Shepard smirked. "No Captain, I'm going on the advice of a fellow comrade. Now, the elevator?"

"Oh yes, here, take this key, it'll unlock the lift so you can use it," Ventralis said, handing Shepard a small key card.

Shepard grabbed the key card in his hand.

"All right then, let's go kill some space bugs. Be back in a flash, Captain," Shepard said with a wink.

Shepard and company headed over to the elevator, Shepard unlocking it with the key card, the doors opening roughly with a shudder. The group piled into the compartment, the doors closing behind them as the lift descended into the hot labs.

"Tali, can you get me a schematic of the research facility?" Shepard asked.

"Just a second… there, got it," Tali said, tapping her Omni Tool.

Shepard displayed the map of Peak 15, focusing on the hot labs.

"Here is the entrance to the hot labs from our elevator. From there, I want Ashley, Garrus, and Liara to stay and watch our escape. We may be coming out of this one hot, so I want to make sure the window for the elevator stays open. Tali, Kaidan, and Wrex will follow me into the lab, and squash this rabid bug queen with ad section of Sunday's paper. Got it?"

The group nodded, content with the usual results of Shepard's plans.

The elevator slowed to a stop. The doors opened, and behind them a narrow hall was revealed, practically full of Rachni.

"Holy shit," Shepard whispered.

The Rachni seemed to be sleeping, or in a state inactivity, making a gentle whistling noise as the slept.

Shepard pressed the 'door close' button, and once it was closed, he spoke.

"We need another plan."

"Yes, yes we do," Kaidan said, slightly dazed.

"Tali, is there a way around that hall that we might use?" Shepard asked.

Tali tapped her Omni Tool, searching through various pieces of data.

"There is a ventilation shaft that connects all of the rooms together. We could use it to sneak past the Rachni."

"Great, where is it?" Shepard asked.

"Up there," Tali pointed with a delicate three fingered hand at a hatch on the roof of the elevator.

Shepard opened the hatch, jumping up to grab the side and pulling himself up and through it.

"Is this the shaft you're talking about, Tali?" Shepard said from the top of the elevator.

"I believe so, Shepard. Why, what's wrong?" Tali asked.

"Well, either we need to switch out the members of the party, or Wrex needs to lose a lot of weight, and fast," Shepard said.

"It seems your plan needs to change, Shepard," Wrex chuckled.

"It does. Ashley, you're replacing Wrex."

* * *

The four people crawled through the vents. The group was led by Tali, followed by Shepard, Ashley and finally Kaidan.

"How long until we get to the next room?" Shepard whispered to Tali.

"Ummm, 25 meters, maybe," Tali answered.

"Ugh, I don't think I can crawl like this anymore," Ashley groaned.

"Didn't you do this in boot camp? Like, in the mud under barbed wires and stuff?" Kaidan asked.

"How'd you like to get the heel of my boot in your face?" Ashley asked.

"I don't want to alarm anyone here but are you not aware of the **hundreds of Rachni**that are right under us?" Shepard asked sternly.

"We're here, Shepard," Tali said, unhooking a grate to another room.

Tali crawled through the hole, falling down to the floor of the room, landing on her feet in a crouch. She dusted herself off as Shepard landed next to her.

"Freeze!"

A troubled and shaky voice shouted out at Tali and Shepard. They looked up to see a middle aged man, trembling as he held pistol pointed at them. The man spoke in a Russian accent, looked quite plump, despite his haggard appearance.

"Now, just calm down, alright?" Shepard said, his arms out stretched in a passive manner.

Ashley landed next to Shepard, further upsetting the man.

"S-Stop! Y-Y-You over there! S-S-Stay where you are!" the man shrieked.

"Alright, alright, we're staying where we are. Please, put the gun down," Shepard said slowly, trying to calm the man.

Kaidan fell to the floor, sending the man further into a state of complete panic.

"Ahhhh, get away, get away you monsters!" the man shouted indiscriminately.

"Oh, goddammit," Shepard said under his breath. He moved forward, taking a quick step, grabbing the man's out stretched arm while it still clutched his pistol, and slamming a fist into the man's stomach. The man toppled over, dropping to the floor, the gun falling from his hand.

"Quick! Tie him up!" Shepard shouted. He looked over to a console, finding a chair and dragging it over to the man, throwing him on it.

Tali quickly procured some wires, assumingly from one of the unused computers components, binding the man's hands and feet as he sat in the chair.

"Alright, now tell me, what the hell is going on down here?" Shepard asked.

"Do what you will, scum. I will never tell you how to control the Rachni for your scandalous purposes!" the man shouted out.

Shepard looked at his companions confusingly.

"Control the Rachni? You've been controlling the Rachni from down here?" Kaidan asked.

"Yes! And you'll never figure out how to do so from me! I've deleted all my data and results! Nothing will stop me from taking the secret to my grave!" the man yelled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a minute here. I think we got off on the wrong foot. Commander Blake Shepard, Spectre. I'm here to find Benezia and apprehend her, and I was told she would be located in this research facility. Is that correct?" Shepard asked.

The man nodded. "Yes, that is correct. My name is Dr. Yaroslev Tartakovsky, a researcher for Binary Helix. They hired me to study the Rachni, to see if a method of controlling them could be found."

"And you found it?" Kaidan asked.

"Partially. What I found was that the Rachni queen uses two methods of communication with its soldiers. One method is a system of quantum entanglement that allows seamless communication across millions of light years; the other is simply a usage of pheromones to issue out orders at close range. It is almost impossible to hijack quantum entanglement communication; therefore the only way to control the Rachni is to use pheromones. I almost perfected a system of controlling them by using chemicals that made them more aggressive, while also using chemicals that direct them to specific places; however I discovered the true purpose of my research here at Binary Helix."

"Which was?" Ashley asked.

"To produce an army. Binary Helix wanted to mass produce the Rachni to make an army to be loaned out or sold to the highest bidder. This, I could not abide. When I agreed to study the Rachni, I did it for discovery, for science. I have dedicated my life to study, not war and destruction, and I will take my research to the grave if I must. My mother always said I would have a violent end…"

"How did you find the Rachni to clone?" Tali asked.

"Clone? No, the Rachni were not cloned, my young alien girl. No, the Rachni were born, from a Rachni Queen, here in Peak 15," Tartakovsky said.

"Born? Then there is a queen here?!" Shepard asked.

"Yes. It is in another lab, far enough away to prevent it from interfering with the rest of the Rachni. It is theorized that the Queen has a part in developing the minds of the Rachni Soldiers, and without the queen they are but savage beasts. It's a shame really, such creatures are raised without the support of their mother, often lash out in fear at random intervals. The queen is located back at the rift station, in a restricted area," said Tartakovsky.

"Perhaps that it is where Benezia is?" Kaidan said aloud.

"Perhaps. Doctor, is there a way to exterminate the Rachni here?" Shepard asked.

"Exterminate? You're not here to find the way to control the Rachni?" Tartakovsky asked.

"Not when they can be controlled by military corporations. Something like that, it's too dangerous, too risky to be left in such greedy hands," Shepard stated.

"I agree," added Ashley.

Tartakovsky chuckled to himself.

"This entire time, I've been fighting to keep those people up there from leaving this facility, believing that all people are incoherently evil, but you have voluntarily walked into this hell hole of a situation and chosen the take the correct path. Well then, you've proved me wrong. Look over there, at the back of the room, there is a door. That door leads to an emergency system, a purge system. It releases a neutron purge, a blast of radiation that will kill anything in a close enough radius to the machine. This will euthanize all the Rachni, but you must promise me that the Rachni queen must not fall into the wrong hands."

Shepard looked at the door at the far end of the room intently. He turned back to Tartakovsky, giving him a firm nod.

"On my life or death," Shepard said.

Tali untied Tartakovsky from the chair, as Shepard walked over to the back door. He opened it, revealing a large complicated machine. A VI appeared from a nearby hologram projector. Shepard recognized it as Mira, the facility's systematic VI. Mira spoke in an abnormally pleasant tone; it did not match the severity of the situation.

"Greetings Commander Shepard. How may I be of service?" Mira said.

"Activate the Neutron Purge," Shepard answered.

"I'm sorry, the purge system can only be activated-"

"It's alright, Mira, the code to the Neutron Purge is 875-020-079," Tartakovsky said, walking over to the group.

"One moment. Neutron purge set to activate in 120 seconds. Please confirm purge activation," Mira said.

Mira's words caused an uproar with Shepard's companions.

"120 seconds?! We'll never get back to the elevators in time!" Kaidan shouted.

"We've got a hallway full of Rachni waiting for us behind that wall and this VI wants us to get out in two minutes?! Impossible!" Ashley yelled.

Shepard tried to calm his teammates. "Now hold on! We can get through this if we think for a moment-"

"I'll stay." Tartakovsky said solemnly.

Shepard turned back to Tartakovsky.

"W-What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Tartakovsky looked back at Shepard in the eyes, dead serious.

"This started because of my research, it will end with me. You and your team have a mission, Commander. I, on the other hand, have ethics to uphold."

"Are you sure about this, Doctor? I mean, this is your life we're talking about," Shepard said, trying to dissuade Tartakovsky from his decision.

"I've never been sure about anything else in my life."

Shepard sighed. _He's clearly not backing down. There's no way to convince him otherwise._

"Alright, what do you have in mind," Shepard asked reluctantly.

"The purge must be set off, yes, but also the Rachni must be attracted to this location as much as possible. This can be done using the pheromones in this lab. We can open the doors to the hall outside, lure the Rachni in here, distracting them while you and your team get back into the elevator," said Tartakovsky.

"Tali, can you set off the doors to open and close from your Omni Tool?" asked Shepard.

"Easily," Tali answered.

"Ok doc, we'll play along. Where do you want us?"

* * *

Tartakovsky sat in his chair, thinking solemnly about the events in his life.

_My childhood, the bullies in class, my father's death, my mother struggling to support me and my brother, my scholarship into the academy, my interest in alien biology, the job offer from Binary Helix, my work with the Rachni, it's all lead me to this. This is the one thing I can show for my life, for all my effort and all my struggle. _

Tartakovsky sighed. _And I don't feel too bad about it ending now. That's the strange part._

"Doctor, we've made it to the elevator through the ventilation shafts," Shepard said of over the Comm.

_Ah yes, the Commander._

"Good. Now listen well, you must not activate the elevator until the Rachni have come into the lab area. We do not want any Rachni getting distracted by the sounds of the lift. I will activate the pheromone emitters now," Tartakovsky said.

He tapped on a computer console, quickly setting the system to release a pheromone that would attract as much Rachni to the lab area as possible. _It doesn't help that the pheromone also makes the Rachni more aggressive._

The machine released a puff of smoke, which seeped into the air of the lab. _It's a good thing we sealed the ventilation shaft's entrance, or else those four would stink of the pheromone and get eaten alive._

Tartakovsky walked to the back room, dragging a chair over the purge machine next to where Mira stood awaiting confirmation.

He closed the door behind him, sitting down in the chair.

"Commander, the pheromone is released into the lab and I am safely in the Purge room. You may now open the door between the lab and the hall," Tartakovsky said over the Comm.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us? You could find somewhere else to work, study another alien species-"Shepard began.

"My presence is required for the authorization of the purge, Commander. And I am very, very tired," Tartakovsky replied.

Shepard was silent for a moment, before responding.

"Alright. Opening the door now."

Tartakovsky could hear the screams of hundreds of Rachni, as the caught a whiff of the pheromone. He could hear the lab being torn apart, his console and work area no doubt being destroyed.

_Come, my lovelies. Come and destroy me. We will die together, you and I. Perhaps you'll understand why I had to take you from your mother, why I had to run such horrid tests on you, manipulate you with drugs and chemicals. Perhaps one day I can be forgiven for what I've done._

"Activating the Nuetron Purge. Make your exit now, Commander."

The door separating Tartakovsky from the Rachni was being pounded against. It began to warp, the other side dissolving as the Rachni spit their acid on the metal.

The purge system behind Tartakovsky began to warm up, activating. Mira began a count down from 120 seconds.

"Nuetron Purge in one hundred and twenty seconds. One hundred and nineteen, one hundred and eighteen,-"

"Please Mira, just display it on the console screen," Tartakovsky pleaded.

"Very well, Dr. Tartakovsky. Will that be all for today?" Mira asked, tone still completely out of touch with the situation.

Tartakovsky sighed. He inhaled sharply. "Yes Mira, that will be all…"

* * *

Shepard and company stood in the elevator as it traveled back up to the Rift Station. He looked at his hand, clenching and unclenching it thoughtfully.

"On my life, or death,…" he said to himself.

* * *

**For Airam, who taught me that sometimes it is appropriate for a man to cry.**


	16. Chapter 16: Biotics and Benezia

**Bill Here! This chapter is a continuation of the Noveria mission with a lot more action in it than most chapters. We've got the final battle with Benezia, so hold on to your hats. Also check out a fanfiction called "Solace Before the Storm" by Way of the Skeikah, ME3 TalixShepard. This chapter has some Liara action, so I'm feeling a bit dirty for writing it, but all in good time. I can't wait to start on the ME2 arc though. Lots of ideas, and nowhere to put them yet! Anyway, leave me a review if you liked the chapter, and as always, Enjoy!**

**Chapter 16**

* * *

The elevator reached the level of the Rift Station. It stopped, the doors opening to reveal the make shift cover of Captain Ventralis and his guards. There was a hostile feeling in the air.

"You weren't supposed to survive, Shepard," Ventralis said. He stood in the middle, where the cover split to open a path in and out of the station.

Shepard walked forward, his team following him. Ventralis' guards gripped their weapons tightly as the aimed them at the group.

"Yeah well, a lot of things weren't supposed to happen," Shepard said, his hand clenching and unclenching.

"You know, when I got my orders from Benezia to kill anyone who came through those doors, I thought she just meant Tartakovsky or the Rachni. I thought I was just out here, shooting bug aliens for more than premium dollar. But then I met you, The Blake Shepard, Black Dog, and the first human Spectre. And I realized how big this job really is. Now I know why they paid me so much."

"I hope they paid you in advance," Shepard remarked.

"Oh, they did. Got me some upgrades, new armor, better shielding, much better firepower…"

"It doesn't matter how much shielding you have, you're still going to bleed," Shepard said, his tone vengeful.

"So angry, Shepard. Is this how the hero of Elysium acts? I had no idea, and here I was in such admiration. It'll be such a shame killing you, but then again, I'll be the one who did it. I'll be famous in the galaxy as 'Shepard Slayer' Ventralis. I like the sound of that."

"First you got to kill me. And I don't think you've got it in you," Shepard stated, hovering a hand over his sidearm.

Ventralis raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, so you want to draw? I saw how you killed Sterling, Shepard. That was sneaky. Smart, but sneaky. Lucky I got a friend on Noveria who sent me a vid of it."

"Just because you saw it once, doesn't mean you can stop it," Shepard answered.

"I'm fast enough to beat a Geth on the draw. You sure you want to end it like this?"

"I'm fresh; meanwhile you've been on duty for days now."

"I got stims. Good ones too."

"Try not to blink."

"Why? You gonna try your disappearing act on me?"

Shepard shook his head. "No, you get to see it coming."

Shepard's arm was a bolt of lightning, whipping out his pistol and firing three shots. The first two hit Ventralis' shield, shattering it, the third hit him in his right arm, before he could even draw. He fell back behind cover as Shepard rolled to his right.

The room was filled with gun fire, as both sides opened up with their weapons. Both Kaidan and Liara projected barriers to protect the rest of the crew, while Wrex hopped over the left section of cover, grabbing guards with his hands and tearing them apart.

Garrus shifted his cross hairs from guard to guard, felling each one before proceeding to another. Ashley followed his example, shouting obscenities at the top of her longs while she did so.

A guard swung his gun at Tali, who ducked under it. He stabbed with a bayonet attachment, but Tali stepped to the side, nailing him the chest with the butt of her shotgun. The guard fell to the ground, and before he got up, Tali pushed him back down with the barrel of her gun. She turned her head away from the guard and pulled the trigger.

Kaidan held up a barrier against a guard, gunfire deflecting harmlessly off of it. Kaidan pushed the barrier closer, until it wrapped around the guard's gun. Kaidan pulled the gun away before sending the guard flying with a biotic punch across the room.

Shepard ran to the right most cover, crouching behind it. He looked up, seeing muzzle blasts from a guard's gun, rising up to his feet and snatching the gun with his left hand. He flung his right hand, which held his knife, at the guard, slashing the guard's left eye open.

The guard cringed, releasing his grip on his weapon and falling back. He screamed as pain erupted from his eye socket. Shepard cringed at the sight, pointing his pistol at the guard's head and firing, ending it. _That could have been me on Elysium,_ Shepard thought.

He looked around to find Ventralis, his white armor stained red at his shoulder as he sat behind cover, clutching it in pain. He turned and saw Shepard, an ungodly amount of fear in his eyes as Shepard made his approach to him.

"Shepard, please, I was just following orders, can't you just give me a break-"

Ventralis was cut off when Shepard stabbed him in the stomach. The blade went easily through the armor covering his abdomen. Shepard pulled out the knife, only to plunge it deep within Ventralis once more.

Ventralis tried to speak, tried to resist, but could only gurgle as Shepard repeatedly stabbed him, making holes in his armor that leaked out oozing red liquid. His abdomen looked like a white skin, puckered with holes that appeared infected from the red staining around it.

Shepard must've stabbed Ventralis ten times before he stopped, deciding that was enough. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, Ventralis still barely conscious at this point.

The rest of the crew gathered around Shepard as he watched Ventralis as bleed out as painfully as Shepard could make it.

"We need to go," Kaidan said softly.

Shepard nodded. He knelt back down to where Ventralis lay bleeding, laying his knife across Ventralis' throat. He slashed, cutting a hole so deep past his jugular, his wind pipe wheezed unnaturally.

Shepard got back to his feet, walking into the compartments of the Rift Station with his team as blood gushed from Ventralis' neck. Ventralis raised both of his hands, sticky with blood, watching himself bleed out, his palms trembling until he could feel them no more. Finally life left his body, and Ventralis was nothing but a corpse.

* * *

"I see you have managed to track me down, Shepard."

Matriarch Benezia spoke with a condescending tone, much more evil than a Matriarch should have been. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in weeks, despite the evil smirk on her lips. She stood at the center of the room, suspiciously so, as if she intended to be found.

"I heard of your heroics, Shepard, you're name strikes fear in many evil men's hearts. It's a shame that your story ends here," Benezia said.

_She speaks with such disdain, _Liara thought. She looked at her mother's face, the first time in years. _Goddess, did she always look so tired before? Would she have joined Saren if I hadn't left her so long ago?_

"My story is only beginning," Shepard said, his voice a deep growl.

Benezia looked down on Shepard, the stairs between them helping to express her scorn.

"Of course. Your race was always full of overconfident bigots. The Universe will be a brighter place once your kind is wiped from the galaxy," Benezia said.

_Wiped out? Shepard's race? What has she become!? _Liara cried out, her voice filled with pain, but also guilt.

"Mother! Please, don't do this. I know you; you are like this at all. You are a peaceful, loving, gentle person, not someone who associates with the likes of traitors like Saren!"

"Ah, I see you've brought my wayward daughter to use as a shield. How noble of you," Benezia mocked.

"Shepard did not bring me to use as a shield. He is a hero and a good man. I have come on my accord and I will not have my mother acting in such a way!" Liara shouted, an inferno of emotion rising up inside of her.

"You were always disobedient. Very well, I brought you into this world; I suppose it's my responsibility to take you out as well. You shall die with your false idol."

With that statement, Benezia waved her arm. Liara heard several thumps on the metal flooring around her as Benezia's Asari Commandos jumped from the shadows, landing on the floor and quickly surrounding the group. Four Geth soldiers appeared from behind Benezia, guns held at their shoulders as they walked towards the group.

Liara gulped.

The air became filled with gun fire and rockets as both sides let loose their weapons.

The chaos ensued while Liara struggled to make sense of what she saw as she was tossed around. She flew back, thrown by a biotic push, hitting the guard rail of the wall behind her. Blood oozed from the side of her head as she watched the rest of the group fight.

Wrex charged the Commandos, their biotics quickly dispelled by Wrex's own, leaving them unable to stop his body's hulking mass. He smashed into the closest Asari, caving her head in with his shoulder before he turned to smack another one with his out stretched arm. She flew back across the room, hitting several crates before eventually hitting the wall with a splat, leaving a bloody purple smear as her body slid down it.

Kaidan blasted off, his feet shooting from where they were to an Asari Commando. He threw his right fist at her with his whole body, his biotics swirling the air around his hand in a corkscrew as he hit her with the large mass of blue energy he held in his hand. She blocked it, both of her palms full of energy as the rose up to meet Kaidan's, but the Asari stumbled backwards, successfully blocking his attack yet losing her footing, her arms flailing to catch her balance. That's when Kaidan threw his left hand, low from his chest, hitting the Commando below the ribs, his fist puncturing through her unarmored torso. It came out the other side, severing her spinal cord, so Kaidan pulled his hand out from her stomach, his forearm stained purple with a sticky liquid.

Tali's fingers were a blur on her Omni Tool, as all four Geth had their shields shattered. One Geth soldier turned to his other Geth companions, firing his rocket at point blank range at the Geth next to him. The resulting explosion destroyed the four Geth, scattering their parts across the room from a large cloud of black smoke.

Shepard rolled to his left, dodging a dangerously close bolt of blue energy cast at him by an angry Asari Commando. He popped back up to his feet next to her, smacking the gun out her hand before she had time to turn and shoot. He clocked her in the side of the jaw with an open palmed strike, stars flashing in her eyes. The Asari responded with a hefty blow to the ribs, winding Shepard as he cringed, wheezing as he tried to breathe in air. The commando threw an elbow down at his back, but Shepard rose, shooting his hand in between her legs and up, lifting her by her hips. He grabbed her, carrying her in the air in a classic fireman carry. The Asari quickly tensed up, her legs closing up on Shepard's body and arms grabbing his back, keeping her from getting thrown, but Shepard had other plans. He threw his legs out from under him to front, letting himself drop down on the closest thing to the ground: her head. As her head made contact with the floor, both Shepard and the Asari's weight forced her neck to buckle, cracking it unnaturally so. Shepard felt her body go limp, jumping up from his seated position to find another enemy.

Garrus and Ashley quickly began gunning down the other Commandos, their assault rifles being much more powerful than the Asari's, taking them out from a distance as the rest of the group went for a close quarters melee. They easily tore through the Asari who were distracted by the biotic onslaught coming from Wrex and Kaidan.

**"ENOUGH!" **

A hideous roar came from Benezia as she descended from her position, biotic energy swirling around her like gale winds. She walked down the steps slowly, but sternly, her eyes aglow with malice and terror as both of her hands filled with energy.

** "I will rip your bodies into pieces so minuscule your puny human minds could not even comprehend their size!"**

Wrex and Kaidan both leapt at Benezia with their biotics, but before they could even get close she swept her hand, sending them soaring across the room like loose dust. Liara sat, mouth agape, as she watched the monster that had once been her mother.

Garrus, Tali and Ashley quickly opened fire, the rounds of their weapons bouncing off the barrier that cocooned Benezia in a protective mass effect field.

**"You shall stand against me no more!"**

Benezia opened up a singularity at the three, immobilizing them as they floated upward, now caught in the gravity of dark energy sphere.

**"You will all perish!"**

Benezia threw a great ball of energy at the three as the orbited helplessly, sending them sprawling across the ground. Liara watched as they skidded along the metal floor, rolling to a stop. None of them made any movement to get back up, and Liara could see what seemed to be a sizeable crack in Tali's face mask.

_Oh Goddess, what has she done? _Liara thought to her horror. She struggled to rise to her feet, the wounds on her head throwing her sense of balance off. She managed get up, only to fall forward on her hands and knees.

A loud crack rang through Liara's head. Thinking it was one of her bones, she realized she was mistaken when she looked up.

Benezia's barrier shattered, her horridly powerful face turning to fixate directly on Shepard. He stood defiantly, holding his sniper rifle as a trail of smoke came off the end of the barrel.

"Yo, She-Bitch! Let's go!"

Benezia lashed out, waves of energy flowing off from her as she shot out bolts of biotics. Shepard separated, his projector kicking in, two of them splitting apart, each going their own direction laterally. Benezia raised another barrier just as Shepard fired another round, making it flare up as the round shattered. He ran to a side while firing shot after shot at Benezia, keeping her under pressure as she tried to figure out which Shepard was the real one. One shot hit her, grazing her left shoulder, which only seemed to further infuriate her. She committed, reaching out to grab one of the Shepard's with a mass effect field, succeeding in only dissolving a hologram.

A roar like a lion came from behind Benezia, as Shepard flew at her, knife at hand. Benezia quickly turned, blasting him with the last bit off energy she had left. It was enough to slow Shepard, his arm still swinging his knife forward, but his body ceasing to follow. His arm swung across her face, slicing a shallow line across her forehead, before he flew backward from the force of the blast.

Shepard rolled backward, tumbling over his own head roughly until his body came to a stop.

Benezia walked over to where Shepard laid, her power now returning with a momentary break. She smiled an evil smirk as she stood over him.

"Such a fragile body for someone so stout of heart. Perhaps you should've strengthened your muscles as much as you did your mind, young boy. Though, I suppose there wasn't much time to do so in your short life span."

Her hand glowed blue as she put a mass effect field above, crushing him against the floor. Shepard moaned, his bones being bent in ways that they weren't supposed to

"You miserable worm. Did you really think you could stand against me, an Asari Matriach? Your kind was always foolish and hasty, almost throwing itself at danger at every turn. You humans are as irrational as Saren described. I don't even feel bad killing you, considering how easily you would've been killed somewhere else anyway."

She raised both hands, gathering a large collection of biotic power above her. Shepard's hairs stood up, as Benezia's ball of light condensed into a sinister purple orb.

"And now I break this pitiful man, this fool, which will herald the genocide of the rest of his ilk."

"He is not a fool!"

A blast of energy hit Benezia from her side. Her concentration broke, dissipating the ball of energy she gathered above her as she took another blow.

Liara stalked across the room, eyes blazing with anger.

"He is not a worm!"

She cast another shockwave from her hand, hitting Benezia in the torso. She rose back up to her normal stance, her face resuming its deathly expression.

**"He is Neanderthal and a Primitive, nothing more!" **Benezia roared, hitting Liara with biotic shove.

"He is a good man!" Liara countered, shoving Benezia back.

**"He is simple minded lowlife, incapable of producing anything of worth in this galaxy, just like the rest of his kind!" **Benezia replied, her voice inhumanly ominous. She focused all of her power at her hands, shooting a beam of energy out at Liara.

Liara blocked with her own biotics, falling to one knee as she struggled under the great weight that was the Matriarch's power. She began to falter, her head rolling down, until she remembered that she had felt this before. When she had melded with Shepard, in his fight against that man, even against an overwhelmingly stronger opponent, he had held firm. Shepard had stood up; rolled with the punches, taken blows, spit blood from his mouth, and fought on.

_And that's exactly what I'll do, _Liara thought.

She stood up, pushed back Benezia's energy with her own power. The Matriarch countered, increasing her already staggering amount of energy going out at Liara. Liara moved to the side, deflecting the energy by taking an angle, sending the large mass of energy to the side past her. With the enormous amount of energy gone, Liara let loose her reserves, giving everything she had with one shot. She sent Benezia flying against a bulkhead.

"He is saint dressed as a soldier. And you are no longer my mother," she said softly.

With that, Liara turned to kneel down next to Shepard, assessing his wounds. He laid on his back, awkwardly to one side, still conscious, as Liara helped him activate the supply of Medigel from his Omni Tool. The medicine helped, relieving pain and clotting wounds, energizing him enough for Liara to help him up to his feet. They both began to make their way to others.

"…Little wing…"

A groan came from behind Liara, from the direction of Benezia. She turned to see her mother; however she was much different than before. The dark circles around her eyes were fading, like someone who hadn't slept in a long time that was finally going to bed for the night. The poisonous tone she hadn't taken was gone, her demeanor now her past mothering self.

"Go to her," Shepard groaned.

Liara walked with Shepard over to where Benezia laid. She smiled gently as Liara approached.

"Little wing, I'm so sorry," Benezia began, her eyes tearing up.

Liara was shocked. Here her mother was apologizing, after so many years went by, and after viciously attacking her and her comrades. It was a strange circumstance for a family reunion.

She grabbed Benezia's hands, comforting her.

"No, I'm sorry, mother. It was my fault," Liara said.

"Shepard, where is Shepard? I must speak to him," Benezia spoke weakly.

Liara pulled Shepard closer.

"He's here. He's right here, mother," Liara answered.

"Good. Shepard, you must know this. Saren's ship, Sovereign, it is not just a ship. It is sentient, Shepard. It thinks, it feels, it even dreams. The more time you spend near it, the easier it is for Saren to control you. His ideas seem more correct as time passes in that ship. It is not of the galaxy. Know this on your travels."

"What is the Conduit?" Shepard asked desperately.

"The Conduit is the bane of all life in Citadel Space. It is the key to the genocide Sovereign needs. It is found through the Mu Relay. You must find it before Saren does, the fate of the galaxy depends on it," Benezia said, speaking with such conviction that Shepard didn't know what to say. He simply nodded in return, to which Benezia smiled and leaned back.

"Little Wing," Benezia cooed lovingly at Liara.

Liara wrapped her hands around Benezia's head, squeezing gently. _I forgot how comforting her presence was, _Liara thought.

Shepard got up to his feet, the Medigel finally giving him enough strength to move about. He walked over to the rest of the crew, giving Liara some space.

"Take your time…" he said softly as he left.

Shepard assessed the situation of his team. Wrex and Kaidan were beat up, but not broken, the first ones to recover from being thrown by Benezia. Garrus, Ashley, and Tali weren't as lucky.

Kaidan set on checking Ashley's vitals. _No pulse, _he thought. He used her Omni Tool to activate the defibrillator in Ashley's armor. It sent a shock powerful enough to restart her heart and lungs, making her whole body cringe as she jolted awake. Kaidan quickly took her in his arms, comforting her with sweet words while administrating Medigel into her now pumping bloodstream.

"It's ok, Ashley, you're all right now," Kaidan spoke softly and calmly, settling Ashley down after she awoke in such a violent manner.

Garrus wasn't as lucky, as Wrex's idea of first aid treatment was just to shake Garrus and slap his face a bit. Fortunately, Garrus was only momentarily unconscious, coming back to his senses quickly after being moved.

"Wha, what's going on? Did we win?" Garrus asked confused.

"No you pyjak, you got knocked out. Don't worry, you didn't crap your pants like last time," Wrex joked.

"Oh good," Garrus answered, his brain still dazed.

Shepard smiled, but quickly wiped it off as he knelt down next to Tali. Her suit would take care of whatever was wrong with her presumably, but the crack in her face mask needed to be sealed. Shepard didn't think that anything could get in or out, but a crack is still a crack, and it meant the difference between life and death for Tali.

_She won't need this anymore, I don't think, _Shepard thought as he procured a side arm from a downed Asari Commando, melting it down into Omni Gel. He spread the gel liberally along the crack, making sure to seal it well enough to make it back to the Normandy. Shepard just hoped Tali could still see past it, as she stirred awake.

"Mmm, Shepard, what happened?" she slurred.

"Shhh, be still. You got hurt, but you're going to be better, ok?" Shepard reassured Tali as best he could, at least until the antibiotics kicked into her system.

_Man, if there was ever a time for antibiotics, it would've been while we were fighting those Commandos, _Shepard thought. He chuckled a bit, glad that the situation allowed it.

He cuddled Tali softly, reassuring her as she rested on the floor for the time being. She relaxed as Shepard held her, quite comfortable with where she was.

Shepard felt something move behind him. He wasn't sure what, but he knew if it was anything, it was an Asari. He whipped out his side arm, turning quickly around, pistol aimed up.

_What the hell?_

It was indeed an Asari, but by the way her head hung unnaturally to the side, she should've been dead. She moved like it, for the most part, as if something was pulling the strings of a puppet crudely, making her move in a creepy way. Shepard kept his pistol on her.

"Do not worry about this vessel, it is only a set of strings to pluck," said the undead Asari.

_What the hell is going on now? _Shepard thought, raising an eyebrow.

"We are over here," said the Asari.

To his right, something slammed on the glass, making Shepard jump. What he saw was the biggest Rachni he had seen in his life, captive in a chamber behind a thick layer of glass which hung over a vat of seemingly dangerous liquid. The Rachni beckoned at Shepard, confusing him to no end.

"What is this?" he asked, unsure of how to respond.

"We are the Rachni Queen. We have been captured, kept here as our young thrash about in chaos," the Asari said.

_This is totally nuts! _Shepard thought, grabbing his head.

"We have waited until someone would come. In our dreams, we learned that one man would come, his song would be a glorious rebirth, and he would free us."

"And if I don't free you?" Shepard asked.

The Rachni paused momentarily.

"If you choose not to free us from our bondage, free us from life instead. We do not intend to follow our ancestors' examples, but we understand your contempt," the Asari said.

_Interesting, _Shepard thought. He folded his arms. _On one hand, you have an ancient alien race that once threatened the fate of the galaxy; on the other hand, we already have three or four other alien races that also fit that description, humans having a chance to join that list as well. I guess it comes down to whether the Rachni can be peaceful or not. _Shepard shrugged his shoulders. _Trust must first be given to be earned._

"Alright, I'll let you go," Shepard said.

"**WHAT**!?" roared Wrex, who joined in once he had heard the conversation going in the wrong direction. He stomped all the way up to Shepard, his steps thunderous as he did so. Shepard could see the anger in Wrex's eyes as he grabbed Shepard's collar.

"What are you **DOING**, Shepard!?" he shouted angrily.

Shepard shook off Wrex's grip, his own anger rising.

"I'm doing what should've been done a long time ago!" Shepard yelled back.

"Are you crazy or just stupid?! The Rachni have been our enemies for thousands of years! They killed millions, almost wiping out all life in Citadel Space! AND YOU WANT TO FREE THEM!?" Wrex made a compelling argument, in that Shepard was scared shitless, but he couldn't afford to back down.

"Are they your enemies? Are they?! Were they the ones that recruited you to fight a war, and after you fought it, stabbed you in the back? Were they the ones that built a statue in your honor, and then turned their around just to leave your kind to extinction? Were they the ones that killed thousands of your people in the Krogan Rebellions!?" Shepard shouted.

"The Rachni killed MILLIONS of Krogan! For centuries we fought them off, FOR CENTURIES SHEPARD! You would undo what millions of Krogan lives died to do? To free these insects?! Our enemy?!"

"If your race had one friend in this galaxy, it would've been the Rachni. They were the ones that fought you from the front, rather than befriending you only to stab you from behind. If the Rachni Wars were still waging, you would be hero right now, Wrex. Instead, you're a vagrant, an outcast, unwanted scum of the galaxy, a member of a species doomed to extinction. Who **really** is your enemy, Wrex?" Shepard spoke with conviction.

"My enemy is the one that stands against me. My enemy is the one who tries to kill me. The Rachni are my enemy, history has shown that, and you can't convince me otherwise," Wrex growled.

"Not anymore they aren't. Every race deserves a chance, even the Rachni," Shepard pointed out.

"They got a chance, Shepard, and chose war. The Krogan laid down their lives stop them. I will not let you undo that!" Wrex shouted, red eyes burning with fury.

"That's not your choice, Wrex. The council appointed me Spectre, not you. I speak with the Council's authority; my judgment is the Council's commands. The decision belongs to me, Wrex. Not you." Shepard said firmly.

"If this comes back to bite us in the ass, it'll be on your head," Wrex warned. "All the people that die because of this thing will be because of you, Shepard. Are you ready to take that responsibility?"

"Yes."

Wrex snuffed, turning away from Shepard in anger. He turned back around. "Fine, save your space bugs, Spectre. Just don't come crying to me when the second Rachni War starts."

Shepard walked over to the controls to the Rachni's chambers. He traced his hand across the various buttons and levers, searching for the right one. When he found it, he paused, looking back up at the queen.

"If I free you, what will you do?" Shepard asked solemnly.

The Rachni Queen's answer was simple.

"Live."

Shepard smiled, pulling the lever down. The ceiling above the Rachni's chamber opened, a piston pushing her glass room up through the hole, assumingly up to the surface where she would find a way off the planet.

Shepard stood there, caught in his own thoughts momentarily. He stirred, finally, turning around to his crew.

"Let's get out of here, shall we?" Shepard asked.

Liara stood up, rising from where her mother laid very still, a peaceful smile on Benezia's lips, her face now familiarly beautiful.

"I, I will remember my mother as who she was, kind, fair, peaceful, and just. She was an honor to all Asari," Liara said adamantly, her head bowing in reverence.

"Her best traits live on in you," Shepard added with a wink.

Liara felt a bit warm, feeling her face as she realized she was blushed. She held her hand at her face, a warm smile spreading on her mouth.

"Yes, let us depart."

* * *

Shepard sat in his quarters, mentally reviewing the day's events. He laid back on his bed, his mind lost in thought. _So many things happened today, it's hard to believe it all. _

He heard a knock on his door, soft and modest, and he rose to answer it personally. Shepard opened the door to reveal Liara, shyly leaning against the door.

"May I come in?" she asked demurely.

"Of course," said Shepard, moving to allow Liara to walk inside his cabin.

"Wow, this is pretty big for just one person," She said, looking around the room, impressed.

"That's exactly what I thought," Shepard replied, hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"It seems more suited for two people, don't you think?" Liara asked.

Shepard regarded her strangely. Liara blushed, her blue skin turning purple with embarrassment.

"Oh Goddess, I didn't mean, I meant that it, well, I mean," Liara stammered for words.

Shepard chuckled heartily. "It's fine, Liara, I know what you meant. Please, have a seat; you certainly don't have to stand at attention." Shepard indicated to the black couches in his cabin. Liara quickly sat down, keeping her hands at her knees while she sat nervously, as Shepard walked over to his liquor cabinet, removing an elegant glass bottle with two glasses.

"Oh my, I'm terribly sorry; I haven't even asked you yet. Would you like a drink?" Shepard asked, his apologetic tone carried a certain hint of sophistication in it. _He is quite the gentleman when he doesn't have a gun in his hand, _Liara thought.

"Well, I don't usually drink alcohol,…" Liara began.

"Neither do I, but I feel that my still being alive awards me certain luxuries. I've got some nice Brandy here if you'd like?"

Liara laughed nervously. "Truth be told, Shepard, I'm not very good at drinking."

"Blake," Shepard corrected. "Call me Blake."

Liara bundled herself deeper into Shepard's couch, now a deep maroon colored Asari. "B-blake," she stuttered out.

Shepard smiled. "That's better."

He placed two empty glasses on the table in adjacent to the couch, carefully pouring a liberal amount of brandy in each one. He set the Brandy bottle down next to the two glasses, snatching one of glasses up in his hand and drinking it smoothly. Liara timidly reached out for the other glass, cautiously taking a sip. It tasted strange, considering Liara had actually never tried alcohol before. She rejected it almost immediately after a taste, but challenged herself to take another, taking baby steps.

"Has it ever occurred to you that we fought Rachni today?" Shepard spoke bluntly, contemplating his drink.

Liara was confused for a moment, unsure how to respond, until Shepard continued.

"Not only that, but here I am, the first human Spectre, aboard his own experimental prototype ship built using both Human and Turian technology, to hunt down a Turian who has an army of Geth. Not only that, but on my crew is another Turian, a Quarian, and a Krogan, all on an Alliance vessel, formally run exclusively by humans."

Liara thought about what Shepard said, the recollections in his mind spilling out from his mouth. She drank some more brandy, a warm feeling crawling through her body as she did. Her face felt hot, yet oddly comfortable.

"You didn't include me, Blakey," Liara slurred.

Shepard rose an eyebrow, observing Liara as she became more relaxed with the alcohol taking effect. She laid back into the couch, her attitude much more comfortable.

Shepard watched her carefully, realizing what was happening.

_Wow, this situation could get really bad. Or really good, if I could commit to going interspecies. No, stop it Blake, just because you can have it, does it mean it won't come back to bite you in the ass, _Shepard thought, closing his eyes, trying to shake some sense into his head. He put his glass back on the table, turning back to look at Liara.

She held her glass upside down, now empty, save for a lone drop slowly flowing down to the glass edge. Liara stuck out her tongue to catch the drop in her mouth, smiling with childish amusement as she did.

"Your drink was so goooood, Shepard! It's all gone, though," she chided, drunkenly.

_Oh Jesus, this is bad. I mean, I suppose this hasn't been the first time, but I'd actually rather not have this happen now. Or here. Plus, she's like 106, which in Asari years could be what, like 15? Something teenage and the Black Dog don't hit it early. I've got to get her to Chakwas', she'll take care of her, _Shepard thought, rubbing his temples.

Shepard turned to find Liara, now jumping on his bed with Shepard's glass in her hand, laughing happily.

_Well, at least she's taking her mother's death well. Better than I did, I suppose._

Liara stopped jumping momentarily, noticing a picture on Shepard's dresser. Of the three pictures that were there, she picked up the portrait of a woman. Bringing it to her eyes, she read off the caption.

"Who's 'Hannah Shepard'?" Liara asked, slurring her words.

Shepard's eyes widened. He stepped forward quickly and snatched the picture frame away.

"That's not yours!" he said angrily.

"Who is it? And why do you have a picture of a woman in your room, Shepard? Is she your sweetheart?" Liara teased.

Shepard clammed up, sitting down on the bed. "She's my mother," he said solemnly.

Liara stopped, sobering up slightly. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, Shepard."

Shepard smirked. "Don't be. She died a long time ago. I'm over it."

"May I see the picture again, Shepard?" Liara asked, once again taking a reserved posture. Shepard handed the picture to her slowly. She looked at the picture carefully, examining the features of the woman's face.

"She's beautiful," Liara said dreamily.

Shepard couldn't help but to smile. "Yeah, dad used to tell me he had to fight off men before they got together. Even while they were dating, she'd get guys trying to hit on her until dad straightened them out."

"This is your father?" Liara asked, pointing at the other portrait after she put the first picture back in its place.

"Yeah. That's him before they got married, still pretty young," Shepard said, getting up to stand beside her.

"He looks big, but nice," Liara said, including the last part quickly.

Shepard looked at the portrait nostalgically. "Yeah, he always seemed so big to me. I wonder how it would feel to stand next to him now?"

Liara gazed at Shepard, his face showing he felt happy, but also a small part sad. She placed a hand gently on his cheek.

"You look just like him, Shepard. You've grown into a strong man in his absence. It must've been hard losing your parents at the age of twelve."

"Mmmm. Wait, how did you know they died when I was twelve? I never told you that," Shepard asked.

Liara scrambled for something to say. "Well, you know, I just, I wanted to learn about you so I looked you up on the extranet."

Shepard seemed suspicious, but then let it pass. "Oh, well you could've just asked."

_Safe! If he had learned that I was looking through his memories while I melded with him, he would think I'm a stalker, _Liara thought.

"It's getting late Liara. Shall I walk you back to your office?" Shepard asked politely.

Liara nodded. "Yes, yes of course."

Shepard held out his arm, which took Liara a while to realize that he wanted her arm. She timidly linked her arm with his as they made their way from Shepard's cabin and into the elevator. She was thankful for the elevator's slow descending speed, considering it maximized their time together, though too nervous to speak, she was content to just be close with him. As they concluded their walk together, nearing the Med Bay doors, Liara spoke up.

"Umm, Shepard, I, I wanted to say something."

Shepard turned to face her, gazing into her eyes with his blue irises that looked like sapphires, his black hair contrasted his clear white skin, and even his scar looked handsome to Liara as her face blossumed into a dark shade of purple.

"What is it?" he asked, oblivious to Liara's internal fawning.

"I, well I, I wanted to say how much I respect you," Liara said, though not exactly what she meant to say.

"I respect you too, Liara. You have tremendous fortitude for someone so young, by Asari standards anyways," Shepard replied, wondering just how young 106 years old is in Asari standards.

"I also wanted to thank you for having me aboard and letting me come with you to Noveria. Seeing my mother was quite," Liara paused to find the correct word, "upsetting, but it was very necessary. I needed to make my final goodbyes to her. She is with the Goddess now."

Shepard smiled. "Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Indeed I do."

Shepard opened the door to the Med Bay to find that Dr. Chakwas was still awake and working. Tali was lying in a bed resting, her facemask apparently repaired. The two regarded each other's appearances with pleasant surprise.

"Blake, you've come at a wonderful time," Chakwas said.

"What are you still doing up, miss? I ought to court martial you for overworking yourself," Shepard laughed giving Chakwas a kiss on the cheek.

Chakwas returned it, giggling slightly. "Oh yes, Mr. Big Shot Spectre now, thinks he's on top of the world!"

"You better believe it! The galaxy better step aside, because Blake Shepard is coming through!" Shepard joked, putting a foot up on a nearby stool, displaying himself heroically with his hands on his hips.

Dr. Chakwas clapped in amusement, laughing as Shepard showed off. "Next thing you know, you'll be hooking a cape to the back of your armor!"

Shepard stopped his impression to point at Chakwas in realization. "Now that is a good idea!" he said, half joking, but partially considering it.

Liara made her way across the room to the room behind it, her makeshift office for the time.

"Good night everyone," Liara said, waving to everyone tiredly.

After the door to her room closed, Chakwas moved closer to Shepard, whispering to him.

"So what's this about showing her to her room? You're not falling for that girl, are you?" Chakwas asked.

"Give me a break, she showed up to my cabin after her mother just died, not to mention right before they made their reunion," Shepard whispered back.

"I don't know, seems pretty 'Damsel in distress' to me," Chakwas chided.

"Would it help if I told you that she saved me? I hit her mother once, but she was the one to deliver the final blow," Shepard pointed out.

"Well, all I'm saying is that you should watch out because someone has a girlish fancy for you," Chakwas whispered.

"Tell me about it. Everybody has been wanting a piece of me lately," Shepard said.

Dr. Chakwas looked confused. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

Shepard waved a hand. "Nothing. What's going on with Tali, by the way? She's ok, right? I was worried when I found her facemask cracked, so I did the best I could-"

Dr. Chakwas grabbed Shepard's shoulder. "She's ok, Blake, just calm down. She sustained some minor injuries, but mostly just needs some rest. She'll be right as rain by tomorrow morning."

Shepard grinned. _She always knows how to brighten up my day. _

"Well alright, I see that my presence is no longer needed here, so I'll take my leave. Good night, Doctor."

"Good night, Commander."

Both smiled at the formal labels, their intimacy was close enough that using such formalities were ironic. Shepard turned and left through the Med Bay doors, closing behind him with an air brushed hum.

"I'm sorry, dear," Dr. Chakwas said out loud.

Tali rose up slowly from her bed. "Me too…"

* * *

**To Airam, who, if she's actually read this far, is actually a pretty cool girlfriend.**


	17. Chapter 17: Shopping Date

**Bill here! Finally got another chapter in, been pretty busy lately. Got two tests coming up soon, kind of stressed out. This chapter is pretty chill, mostly dialogue and light flirting. Leave me a review and give me a favorite if you liked this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 17**

Blake kneeled behind a piece of crumbled building, next to Don in a prone position. They hid with the rest of the gang, each member coated in the white dust found throughout the slums, hidden against the rubble. They waited, watching as a caravan of trucks made their way down the road that bordered the rim of the slums. The drivers were blinded by the sun as it set in the west.

_Perfect, _Blake thought.

Don waved a hand over his head, waving across the distance to the rest of his men, sealing the fate of the all who sat inside unsuspecting of their fate. One of the men waved back in confirmation.

"And now we wait, Black Dog," Don spoke, his voice arid and chafed from years of breathing smug filled air.

Blake nestled closer to the ground, crouched excitedly. He had grown accustomed to the raids, the violence took his mind off his parents and the spoils took his mind off his empty stomach. A warm feeling filled his belly as he watched the caravan approach the trap.

The truck made its way down the rocky path, its tires quite thick to compensate for the lack of pavement. Each truck was heavily armored; the layers of steel protected the sides of the vehicles. There was, however, one design flaw overlooked by the creators of the vehicle and the ones who purchased it for transportation. While the sides of the truck were armored, bullet proof even to conventional mass effect accelerated firearms, the bottom of the truck was not. It would be easily penetrated by the makeshift demolition device made by the gang, letting shrapnel and deadly scrap metal fly into the first driver's compartment, saving the gang the trouble of putting him out of his misery.

The first truck made its way along the path, an explosion piercing through the metal hull and out the top, spraying a small mist of blood. The following trucks screeched to a halt, the shock almost audibly expressed by the sounds of the brakes.

Don threw his hand forward, stepping up from behind the cover of rubble and breaking into a run. Blake followed him, along with the rest of the gang, as they sprinted towards the trucks, wailing a savage yell as they made their way quickly across the rocky outcrop.

Blake ran, his body close to the ground as he bounced from rock to rock, quickly taking the lead of the stampede. He made it to the trucks first, ramming an unlucky driver who dismounted from his cab, slamming the back of the driver's head into the side of the steel hull with a thud. The driver's body slid down, now limp, as Blake unhostlered the pistol from the driver's hip. It felt heavy, but powerful in his hand.

To his left, he heard a familiar roar, Blake looked up to see Don close line an unlucky victim, the body flipping back and falling on his face. Don swung a back hand at another enemy, his large body putting so much force behind the blow that he sent his enemy flying.

Blake caught a form on his peripherals, turning to see another worker trying to sneak away undetected. Blake pointed the pistol at the man's back, holding the gun with both hands, and pulled the trigger. The pistol kicked slightly, surprising Blake a bit, but sent a microscopic shard of metal flying into the man's back, splitting his flesh apart in a bloody mess.

Blake looked at the gore, and then back to the pistol in his hand. _Hey, I could get used to using one of these, _he thought.

* * *

Blake made his way back to the camp, along with the rest of the gang. The battle had been quick, but bloody, some of the gang members had fallen, but the spoils the trucks held were invaluable. Behind their polished metal casing, under the meaningless logos and empty slogans, inside the trucks' containers were enough supplies to last the gang a year, at least. For this reason, the gang was in high spirits as they made their way back to camp, even as they were burdened with heavy weight of their spoils.

"Ahahahaha, those damn truck drivers didn't even know what hit 'em!" said one gang member enthusiastically.

"Hell, half of them were dead before the fight really started," added another.

Blake smiled, despite both of his hands growing tired from the weight of the supplies. He held a large bag in each hand, his knuckles growing white, but his face was as bright as the sun.

"You did good today, Black," a raspy voice spoke behind Blake.

He turned to see Don, bags piled on his large shoulders and arms, grinning slightly.

"You're becoming a good killer, considering your age," Don continued.

_I am, _Blake thought. He was only sixteen now, and he had killed more men than he had fingers and toes. He body had grown bigger, his limbs longer now, his reach and stride increasing with every day. He barely felt tired, despite participating in a fight that might've taken his life.

The gang reached their camp, the familiar building that they called home; the skyscraper which now only had one story. As they approached, a crowd of remaining inhabitants of the camp, all those unable to fight or steal, mostly women and young children, greeted them with a great cheer. Both crowds merged together, as a reunion between the two groups occurred. In the thick noise of the crowd, Blake heard a shrill voice call is his name.

"Blake! Blake! Where are you, Blake?" the voice called, getting closer and closer every time it spoke. A young woman emerged from behind the wall of people, her face brightening up as her eyes found Blake's form. She bounced from foot to foot excitedly, making her way quickly to Blake as she closed the distance between them. She ran to Blake, leaping into an embrace, jumping up and throwing her hands around Blake's shoulders, her legs following up to wrap around his body. Blake dropped his burdens to catch the girl in his arms, smiling warmly as she kissed his cheek and neck eagerly.

"Hello Jessie," Blake said.

"Oh Blake, I'm glad you're back!" Jessica answered, hugging Blake tightly. He returned the grip, content to remain in the embrace for a short while.

Eventually, Jessica released her arms and legs from Blake's sturdy body, falling back to ground. She was an agile, peppy young lady, about Blake's age, short in stature, but hearty in spirit. Jessica had an enormously energetic attitude which was quite contagious to everyone around her. Blake always wondered where she had gotten such character from, and where her continued hope came from.

Jessica looked up at Blake, her beautiful green eyes gazing deeply into his. From her white skin puckered with freckles to her wavy brown hair, Jessica was a sight to melt a man's heart, no matter what horrors he carried through life. She tiptoed up, an action Blake delighted in seeing, reaching up to his face and placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Let's go, Blake," said Jessica, taking his hand.

Blake looked confused. "What about the bags?" he asked, indicating towards the two packages of supplies he had dropped on the floor.

"Don't worry about it, go romp," said another gang member, grabbing them earnestly. Behind him, Don nodded to Blake in approval.

Blake smiled, turning to follow Jessica hand and hand.

Don's smile quickly was wiped away. He leaned in close to the other gang member.

"Did you secure the cache of firearms?" he asked, his voice hushed.

"Yeah. They're hidden real good," answered the man.

"Good. We'll bide our time and wait for the perfect chance to strike. Dalton will never know what hit him."

* * *

Shepard woke up with a jump. He leaned forward, moving into a seated position. He rubbed his tired eyes lazily, looking around the room to find that he was back in his cabin. _No crazy undercover agents pointing guns at my head and making demands. _

He rolled out of bed, his feet making contact with the cold metal floor, making him flinch.

"Jesus!" he shouted, his feet flexing in reaction to the shock of cold.

_I need to get a goddamn rug in here; I nearly froze my foot off! _Shepard moved his toes around, anticipating the inevitable contact with the cold floor.

_3, 2, 1, and, Go! _Shepard shouted mentally, putting his feet on the floor and standing up, quickly making his way to the shower as fast as his legs could sleepily move him.

He reached the shower, turning on the hot water in his familiar morning ritual. Something about the hot water warmed him up, relaxing his body while waking him up comfortably. He contemplated his most recent dream.

_So I guess I'm just having flashbacks now? _Shepard thought. _At least they are nice memories, while they lasted anyway. _Shepard sighed, the memory of his adolescent lover, Jessica, managed to resurface into his psyche. _Maybe it's from sleeping with that girl, Gianna. Or maybe it's from Liara's recent affection. Hell, who knows, it could be from Tali, she does resemble Jessie the most! _

Shepard chuckled at the thought, reaching for a dry towel and wrapping it around his waist as he stepped out of the steam filled glass chamber. _She did have cute freckles, and uncanny way of brightening up your day, not to mention that ass…_

Shepard cocked his head to the side, remembering the sight of Jessica's hips, the form of her waist flowing down to her thighs in a smooth curve, as beautiful as a painting on tapestry. The sides of his mouth pointed up, until he realized he was still standing in the middle of the bathroom, dripping wet and starting to feel cold. Shepard quickly got dried, dressed and ready for the day.

* * *

"So how do you feel?"

Ashley moaned a moan that only be matched by the undead. She rose from the bed much like a corpse would rise from its own grave.

"Like I was hit by a train," Ashley responded, moving her body stiffly.

"Well, you might as well have been hit by a train. Your heart stopped beating you know," Kaidan said.

Ashley turned to look at Kaidan, shocked. "Really? For how long?"

Kaidan returned a skeptical look. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it does! Who knows where my soul was while I was out?!" Ashley exclaimed, much more animated than Kaidan had expected.

"Soul? I didn't know you believed in that stuff, Chief," Kaidan stated.

"You mean you don't?" Ashley asked skeptically.

"Why would I believe in something so old in a time where we fly around in space ships and fight aliens?" Kaidan asked.

"Because it's true!" Ashley shouted.

Kaidan leaned in confidently. "Prove it."

"It doesn't work like that; you can't just summon it like some sort of ghost."

"Well then how am I supposed to know it works? Should I just 'feel it' around me?" Kaidan scoffed.

"How can you not take it seriously when you witness miracles happen around you all the time?" Ashley asked.

"Miracles? What miracles?" Kaidan asked incredulously.

"How about the fact that we're alive? God protected us from certain death; he even brought me back to life after my heart stopped."

"That was the defibrillator in your armor, Ashley," Kaidan replied.

"Yes but what stopped my neck from getting whiplash, or my head from getting a concussion? The only reason I'm sitting here talking to you is because God stepped in to save me, save us, and got us safely back to the Normandy."

"The only reason we're alive is because we got lucky. For whatever reason, Benezia didn't have time to kill us, apparently due to efforts by Shepard and Liara. They were the ones who stepped in and saved us."

"You need more faith."

"And you need more logic. Stop thinking like a princess, all flowers and sunshine."

"That's funny coming from a biotic wussy," Ashley smirked.

"Right back at ya, gun freak," Kaidan pointed. He got up from his seat and walked out the door, waving a good bye to Ashley as he did.

Ashley was left sitting in her bunk, contemplating what had just happened. _So he's an atheist? No wonder he's such a wimp. I need to get him baptized, _she thought, saving that plan for a later date. For now she would get ready for the day's duties, most likely Shepard would need her for something.

* * *

As the Normandy reached the Citadel, Shepard gazed out through the window, looking at the Citadel's five pronged form. _It looks kind of like a chandelier, or a really complex can opener._

The ship drifted towards the brightly lit metal behemoth of a space station, nearing the various other ships docked nearby. Among the crowd of shiny metal ships, clustered together like fish around a coral reef, Shepard recognized the Destiny Ascension, one of the Asari's Dreadnought class ships, four times bigger than any ship made by mankind. It was the flagship of the Citadel fleet, and for good reason; it boasted a crew size of at least 10000 and has as much firepower as the rest of the fleet combined.

_It's nice, but I'll take the Normandy any day of the week, _Shepard thought.

"We're making our approach, Commander," said Joker over the intercom.

"Perfect. Take care of the ship while I'm gone, will you?" Shepard answered.

"Will do."

* * *

Shepard sat in Udina's office, in a comfortable chair that sat in front of his desk at an angle. Anderson sat in the other chair and Udina sat behind his desk, while all three men were silent.

Finally someone spoke up. "You're saying that you found evidence of the Rachni on Noveria?" Udina asked skeptically.

Shepard nodded. "They're bigger in person," he added.

"Are you sure?" Anderson asked.

Shepard turned and arched an eyebrow. "Unless me and my crew just ran around an empty lab, shooting at hallucinations. I got proof if you don't believe me."

Anderson raised his hands in defense. "I believe you Shepard, but you have to understand, this is something out of a fairy tale."

"More like out of a nightmare," Udina added.

"You're telling me. One of those damn things tried to spit acid at me, melted the floor I was standing on before I moved. And the smell, Ugh!" Shepard's face cringed, remembering the acidic smell of the Rachni.

"I imagine that the aid of that Krogan was a large asset in this endeavor?" Udina asked.

Shepard brightened up. "Oh yes. He was a big help, bigger than usual even. Nothing makes you feel safer than a Krogan watching your back."

"I don't know, I've had a number of Krogan turn on me in my day," Anderson stated.

The hologram projector clicked on, projecting three figures. Shepard turned and saw that it was the Council. All three humans rose form their seats, walking up to face forward to the them.

"Greetings, Spectre, Ambassador, Captain. Apologies for our tardiness, we've been quite busy as of late," said Councilor Tevos.

"It's no trouble, I'm sure you have many duties to attend to," answered Shepard.

"Well then, what is this I hear of your latest mission? Something about Rachni?" asked Sparatus impatiently.

"Not just Rachni, but a Rachni Queen. However that is not what I would like to discuss at this moment, Councilors," Shepard stated.

Councilor Valern raised an eyebrow, his large Salarian eye opening wider than the other in a cartoonish fashion. "Oh?"

"Yes. What concerns me is my confrontation with Lady Benezia and the location of the Mu Relay."

"The Mu Relay? That hasn't been seen in over four thousand years!" Sparatus exclaimed.

"And neither has the Rachni. Tell us, Spectre, what is the importance on the Mu Relay?" asked Valern.

"Apparently, it leads to the location of the Conduit, whatever that may be. It paramount to find it before Saren does."

"And what of the fate of Lady Benezia?" Tevos asked, concern slightly audible in her voice.

Shepard's brow furrowed as he remembered the confrontation. "She seemed, strange. At first she was vicious, her fury was almost unmatched, however after she was struck down, she gave us valuable information. She spoke of the ship Saren has, the unidentified one, having some sort of effect on a person's mind. She seemed compelled to fight us, despite her own will, even against her own daughter."

"And why should we not consider this the final words of traitorous criminal?" Sparatus sneered.

Shepard was about to speak, when Councilor Tevos interrupted.

"She is **NOT** a traitor; she is an Asari Matriarch of great stature!" Tevos shouted, a blue aura outlining her form slightly. All three humans and the other Councilors were taken aback, especially Sparatus, who elected to stay silent for a while. Tevos stopped herself, dissipating the aura around her as she seemed to chastise herself for the uproar.

"Well, what do you suggest your next course of action should be, Spectre?" asked Valern, attempting to change the subject.

"I'm not sure. The Coordinates of the Mu Relay are obscured; I believe they were meant for a Prothean mind. To be honest, I was hoping one of you would know."

"This subject seems to be beyond our knowledge. I would suggest you delve further into the subject, perhaps investigate other Prothean research sites, see what you find. Other than that, following Saren's trail seems to be the only way to go."

"Indeed. Well, thank you for meeting with me; I'll head back out into the Terminus systems for more information."

"Good luck, Spectre."

The hologram cut off, leaving the three humans to contemplate the heated discussion.

"Shepard, I don't know if this will help your investigation, but here is a list of various reports we've had in the outer colonies. Some have been wild goose chases and others have been too remote for an official investigation, but most seem to be out of the ordinary for the most part." Anderson handed Shepard a data pad, which Shepard took earnestly.

"Thanks, I'll take a look at it," Shepard said.

"Your path remains to be muddled, Shepard. I suggest you exercise great caution," Udina said.

Shepard nodded. He turned and left, walking out of Udina's office.

"He has the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders," Udina stated.

"It's alright, Shepard has broad shoulders. He's a tough kid," Anderson said, giving Udina a reassuring smile.

* * *

"So how'd it go?" asked Ashley.

"Dead end. The Council didn't know any more than we did," Shepard answered.

"So what do we do now?" asked Kaidan.

Shepard looked out the window on the wall, out into the blackness of space. He was comforted by the darkness, the essence of the unknown, a sea of mystery. He drew in a deep breathe.

"We search, scour the galaxy for any trace of Saren, the Geth, and Prothean ruins." Shepard smiled contently, as if he knew exactly what to do, his scar and patient disposition seemed to give him omnipotent mindset.

"No, I meant now, as in 'are we leaving?'" Kaidan stated.

Shepard broke out of his trance. "Oh, no we'll make some upgrades, fixes, maintenance. You two get to go on shore leave for now. I might ask around, try to dredge up some more information, see what I can find," Shepard added with a wink. He walked away with a wave in the direction of the Wards, off to do some solo investigation.

Kaidan and Ashley looked at each other, both shrugging their shoulders.

* * *

Tali worked vigorously on the Normandy's drive core systems. Her visit in the Med Bay had been short, but had left her exhausted. _Especially when he came in, _she thought.

"Tali, you got a minute?" spoke a voice behind her.

Tali whipped around quickly, to find the very man she was begrudgingly thinking about standing before her. He still wore his black armor, which made him look like what an ancient Quarian warrior might've looked like, save for five fingers per hand and his human face. _He must still have business on the Citadel, considering he's still in his armor._

"Sure, what can I do for you?" Tali asked, trying to resist the natural urge to sulk.

"Actually, I was wondering what I could do for you. Do you have any parts or upgrades for the Normandy you might want to get? I was going to take a look at the shopping district on the Citadel," Shepard said.

"Oh, here is a list of things I would suggest," Tali said, fingerings pressing various buttons on her omni tool, sending Shepard a list of ship parts.

Shepard looked at his omni tool, his eyebrows furrowing together as he squinted at the list. Tali had trouble discerning what exactly Shepard was feeling until he spoke up. "Umm, I'm not exactly familiar with some of these parts. None of them, actually. Do you think you could come with me to pick them out?"

Tali looked at Shepard in surprise, taking a defensive step back. "Shopping? On the Citadel? With you? Are you… are you sure, do you really want, I mean do you really need, Keelah, what am I saying?" Tali said nervously.

"Is that a problem?" Shepard asked.

"…Well, no, but yes, what would they say if they saw me, a Quarian, walking around the shopping district?" Tali exclaimed.

"They would say nothing, because you are with me. I'm a Spectre, remember?" Shepard said, leaning in close to speak.

Tali's gaze fell down to the floor, her habit of rubbing her hands together coming back. _Keelah, he wants to take me shopping? Like a date? No, it's not a date, it's for ship parts, don't be stupid Tali! He's doing this for the mission, _she thought. Finally she agreed.

"Well, ok then…" she said sheepishly.

"Perfect! Adams, I'm taking your engineer!" Shepard shouted enthusiastically.

Engineer Adams waved in discriminately as he worked on various mechanics in the ship, content with letting Shepard abduct the Quarian girl.

* * *

Tali walked next to Shepard, sure to stay very close to him in the crowded area. She was quite nervous, considering her past history with the general public, though the crowd gave her strange looks; they tended to look away when they saw Shepard walking next to her.

As the crowd grew thick, Tali clutched Shepard's arm tightly with both hands as they walked. His arm felt large, wide and strong, the armor adding a significant amount out width to his already muscular appendage. He walked very intently, his head held high, chin up, his gait strong and confident. Tali looked up at his face, finding a stern expression chiseled into it. _He's a hard man. I wonder if that's how he is on the inside?_

They reached what seemed to be a retail store for ship parts, with a glowing neon sign hanging outside the front. Shepard turned and walked inside, Tali following closely behind.

"Good evening, Earth Clan,-**_shrzk-_**what can I do for you?" asked the Volus behind the counter. Each breath the Volus took made warbled breathing sound, which was quite annoying at times if one wasn't used to it.

Shepard looked around idlly before speaking. "Well, I was hoping you could sell me some ship parts. Here's a list of things I need," Shepard answered, transferring the list over to the Volus.

"**_Shrzk_**-of course-**_shrzk-_**I believe I have exactly-**_shrzk-_**what you might have in mind," said the Volus turning to tap quickly on a terminal behind him.

He quickly turned back around, making a horrid screeching voice in anguish. He pointed a small gauntlet finger in anger at Tali.

"**You! ****_Shrzk-_****Get out of my store,-****_shrzk-_****Suit Rat!" **the Volus screamed.

Tali turned and looked up guiltily, as the Volus walked around the counter, flailing his arms wildly above his head. He began to stride purposefully towards Tali, as fast as his short legs would move him, with what appeared to be the full intent of attacking her.

"I will not-**_shrzk-_**have your kind-**_shrzk-_**in my store! **_Shrzk-_**Thieves-**_shrzk-_**and Outcasts-**_shrzk_**-like you-**_shrzk_**-belong in the sewer-**_shrzk_**!" the Volus screamed, his auditory speaker blaring out warped threats through the frequent breaths he took.

Shepard took a step in front of the Volus, blocking his path to Tali with his chest. The Volus stopped, looking up at Shepard, emphasizing the height difference between the two species.

"Why-**_shrzk_**-do you-**_ shrzk_** -block my path,-**_shrzk_**-Earth clan?!" the Volus asked angrily.

"You seem to be agitated. I'm keeping you from doing something you might regret," Shepard said calmly.

"**_shrzk_**-Regret!? **_shrzk_**-I will**_-shrzk_** -not have a-**_ shrzk_** -Vagrant, like that suit rat-**_ shrzk_** -in my store!" the Volus shouted.

Shepard cocked his head, his right cheek twitching slightly, making his scar dance angrily along his face as he stared down the Volus. He leaned in close, his eyes coming together to bore a hole in the forehead of the alien, his mouth turning to a vicious snarl.

"Her name is Tali," he said, slowly.

The Volus stayed quiet for a moment before speaking. "**_shrzk-_** I-I-I do not serve their kind-**_ shrzk_**."

"You don't serve humans?" Shepard asked, anger leaking into the tone of his voice as he held it back.

"**_shrzk_**-Earth clan, yes,-**_ shrzk_**-Quarians, no**_-shrzk_**," the Volus answered simply.

Shepard looked around mockingly, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't see any Quarians around here. What about you, Tali, do you see any Quarians?"

Tali shook her head slowly, not wanting to take part in the conversation.

Shepard brought his gaze back down on the Volus. The Volus could almost feel the weight of Shepard's stare as it fell back upon him, making him shrink down into his already short stature.

"See? No Quarians here," Shepard snarled, his smile as crooked as a shark's.

"**_shrzk_**-V-very well then. **_Shrzk_**-I'll send the parts-**_shrzk_** -to your ship. **_Shrzk_**-Please leave," the Volus asked.

Shepard nodded slightly and walked out of the shop, Tali quietly following him.

* * *

The team agreed to meet at Flux, for 'team building', as Shepard called it. Kaidan read and reread the message on his omni tool, until Ashley broke his concentration.

"Hey, let's go already!" she said, pulling him by the arm in the direction of the club.

"All right, all right, I'm going. No need to drag me there," Kaidan answered. They walked to the club's entrance to find Shepard and Tali arguing with a Krogan bouncer.

"This'll be good," Ashley remarked as they watched what could be an incident in the making.

The bouncer blocked Tali's path with large arm, clearly barring her from entry. "We don't serve your kind here," he said, his voice rumbling.

Shepard took a step forward and swatted the bouncer's arm down. "I think you do," he said defiantly.

The bouncer turned from Tali to Shepard, his cruel gaze was met with Shepard's. "No Quarians allowed," the bouncer reiterated.

Shepard smiled a crocodile smile, leaning his face closer into the bouncers. "Oh, I think you can make an exception," Shepard scoffed.

The bouncer's eyes squinted, coming together to stare at Shepard. "You want to start something, human?" the bouncer asked, spitting out the word 'human'.

"Sure, I've already killed a couple of Krogan, what is one more notch on the body count?" Shepard snarled.

"**_shrzk_**-You're going to want-**_ shrzk_** -to let him through," spoke a voice behind the bouncer.

Both the bouncer and Shepard turned to follow the voice, finding a Volus standing confidently.

"Why should I let this, Pyjak and his suit rat in?" the bouncer asked angrily, throwing a large Krogan arm in the air.

"**_shrzk-_** Because I said so. **_Shrzk_**-This is my club-**_shrzk_**-and I don't pay you-**_ shrzk_**-to get killed," the Volus said.

"'Killed'? I could take this human weakling on in combat any day of the week!" the bouncer responded.

"Really? **_shrzk_**-So you think**_-shrzk_**-that you can fight**_-shrzk_**-a Spectre?" the Volus asked.

The Krogan bouncer turned back to Shepard, the expression on his face one of shock and horror. He quickly stepped out of the way of Shepard and Tali, gesturing for them to walk in.

"Forgive me, Spectre," he said apologetically, bowing his head.

Shepard and Tali walked through the entrance, Kaidan and Ashley following them. Shepard turned to speak to the helpful Volus.

"**_shrzk_**-Forgive my bouncer,-**_shrzk_**-Spectre Shepard,**_-shrzk_**-he can be quite thick headed at times. **_Shrzk-_** My name is Doran, owner-**_shrzk_**-and proprietor of the nightclub-**_shrzk_**-Flux. You and your-**_shrzk_**-friend are, of course-**_shrzk_**-welcome in this establishment," the Volus said.

"Well, it's nice to finally find someone with manners. In reference to the earlier incident, I too might have been out of line a bit as well. The Rank of Spectre is not to thrown around too carelessly," Shepard said.

"Indeed. **_Shrzk_**-Enjoy your stay at Flux**_-shrzk_**-and be sure to visit the casino-**_shrzk_**-upstairs," said Doran, nodding his head before taking his leave.

"I like him," Shepard stated aloud.

"He certainly has tact," Tali added.

"Jeez, Commander, everywhere you go, you cause trouble," Ashley teased as she and Kaidan caught up with Shepard.

"There you guys are. Any word from Wrex, Garrus, and Liara?" Shepard asked.

"They said they'd get a table for us. And they are right there," Kaidan said, waving to a distant figure of a Krogan in blood red armor. The four walked together in that direction to find Wrex, Liara, and Garrus sitting at a large table with five open seats.

"It's about time you get here, Shepard. It's been boring with these two," Wrex stated, gesturing at the Asari sipping a drink conservatively and the Turian who seemed to be working on his second glass.

"Well I'm here now. Let's drink!" Shepard shouted.

The group cheered together happily.

"I'll get us some drinks. What does everyone want?" Kaidan asked.

"Ryncol, lots of it," Wrex answered.

"Dextro brandy," Garrus answered.

"Same thing, but with a straw, please," Tali said.

"Whisky," Shepard said.

"Alright, how are we going to pay for all this?" Kaidan asked.

"Just tell the bartender to put it on Shepard's tab. I'll take care of it later," Shepard said.

"I'll go with you, Kaidan," said Ashley, following him as he left.

Shepard leaned closer into to the table before speaking. "Does anyone else notice how close those two are?" Shepard asked.

Wrex responded with a grunt. Liara and Tali looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Garrus let out a long Turian moan.

"Ugh! You humans and you're confusing romantic relationships. I don't understand all this secrecy and subtext. On Turian ships, you could do whatever you wanted with whoever, as long as it didn't affect the mission," Garrus complained, setting down his empty glass on the table.

Shepard looked at Garrus strangely. "Garrus, do you know something that I don't know?" Shepard asked.

Garrus nodded drunkenly. "Yesss, but I can't tell you, Shepard."

"Why not?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know. You humans are weird," Garrus said, throwing his hands in the air frustratingly.

Shepard stared at the Garrus strangely, unsure if this was just how drunken Turians acted. Kaidan and Ashley returned, each carrying a tray of drinks. They put the tray in the middle, as the crew each grabbed their respective beverage.

"Finally, Ryncol," Wrex said, snatching the drink that dwarfed the size of every other drink on the table and taking a large gulp.

Shepard took the glass of whiskey, noticing Tali grabbing a similar glass with a straw sticking out of some green liquid. He watched her grab the port around where her mouth would be, removing and replacing it with some other contraption. He watched with interest as she stuck the straw through the port and assumingly into her mouth, the liquid crawling up through the straw until it reached the top. Tali reacted, seeming to enjoy the drink as she squirmed pleasantly, making a slightly audible purring sound. Shepard wasn't sure why, but it made him smile as he watched Tali drink the brandy.

He turned to see Kaidan and Ashley smiling at each other as they drank, further indicating what Shepard had already suspected. He frowned, wondering if he should address it or not. _I don't really mind, considering how unorthodox my crew is already. They do work well together, kind of balance each other out too, _Shepard thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by sound of a girlish voice.

"Shepard, where do you think we'll go next?" asked Liara.

Shepard scratched his chin, thinking deeply for a moment.

"I'm not sure," he said finally. "We could continue to investigate sightings of Geth or check out any ruins left by the Protheans. For now, we'll have to play this by the ear."

* * *

Two hours and five rounds later, it seemed the crew was quite ready to return to the Normandy. Most of the crew laid their heads lazily on the table, while Garrus and Wrex chatted away viciously.

"Who would win in a fight between Beelo Gurji and Ganar Wrang?" Garrus slurred.

"Beelo Gurji?! That wimpy Salarian?! Wrang all the way!" Wrex exclaimed, pounding his glass of Ryncol down on the table.

"Beelo was the first Spectre, Wrex. All Wrang did was start the Blood Pack," Shepard pointed out, taking another sip of whiskey.

"That doesn't mean he's good against a Krogan. I've never found a Salarian with any quad, I don't even care if he was a Spectre," Wrex said.

"I don't know, those Salarians can be pretty sneaky when it comes to hand to hand combat," Garrus commented.

"Here's a better one: who would win a fight between Saren Arterius and Blake Shepard?" Wrex asked, smiling a large, toothy smile.

Shepard sighed, slightly embarrassed, bringing a hand to his face.

"Shepard, no doubt in my mind," Garrus stated plainly.

Shepard looked up at Garrus.

"Really? You think I'd win?" Shepard asked him.

Garrus turned to look at Shepard sternly, pointing a Turian finger drunkenly at him. "I would bet my right mandible on it."

"Thanks, Garrus, that really means something," Shepard mumbled. The whiskey he drank was quite potent, leaving him very inebriated. He could only see a hazy figure of the Turian, blurring every time Garrus moved.

"I don't think so, Shepard. Saren's got a lot more experience than you do," Wrex suggested.

"But he's not just fighting me, Wrex. He's fighting all of us. The real question is: who would win a fight between Saren and his Geth versus all of us," Shepard said.

"That's true. I'd blast a hole so wide in his chest, you could stick your head through it," Wrex commented.

"On that note, we need to head back to the Normandy. I think this party is just about finished," Shepard said, pushing himself up to his feet using the table as a crutch. He stumbled slightly, catching himself before he fell back. He shook Kaidan and Ashley as the slept on the table, huddled together.

"Wake up, cronies," Shepard mumbled.

Both Kaidan and Ashley let out a moan, slowly opening their eyes and picking up their heads.

"Did we win?" Kaidan asked dimly.

"Yeah, we beat em. Let's head home," Shepard answered. He turned to see Liara waking up as well, though a small figure still remained sleeping in a chair. Shepard recognized it as Tali, stumbling over to wake her up.

"Tali, Tali Zorah Narara, or whatever your last name is," Shepard murmured while he shook her shoulder. Tali remained asleep, which would have worried Shepard had he not been currently sedated. Instead, Shepard elected to slip an arm between Tali's legs and around to his other arm, lifting her small body up in a classic Fireman Carry. He lifted her easily; content to take her back to the Normandy like that.

* * *

Shepard brought Tali into the Med Bay on the Normandy. Even after making their way back to the Citadel docks and into the Normandy's terminal, Tali still stayed asleep. Shepard wasn't sure what to do, nor did he know where Tali slept, so he figured taking her to the Med Bay was the best course of action.

The doors hissed open as Shepard stumbled into the Med Bay. He was greeted by a surprised Dr. Chakwas. "Shepard! What's a matter? What happened to Tali?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing, just a bit of friendly drinking. I wasn't sure what to do with her though, do you think I can leave her here for a while?" Shepard asked.

"Well, alright. You're sure she's ok? She didn't hit her head or eat anything she shouldn't have, did she?" Chakwas asked.

Shepard set Tali down on one of the beds. "You know, you worry too much sometimes," Shepard said.

"And sometimes you don't worry enough," Chakwas countered.

"What do I have to worry about?" Shepard asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Your life, Blake. Death seems to wait for you around every corner," Chakwas answered.

Shepard scoffed. "Do you really think, after all I've been through, that death scares me?"

Chakwas stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on Shepard's shoulder. "It's ok to feel fear, Blake."

Shepard swatted the hand away. "I don't feel fear, only caution." And with that he turned and left the Med Bay, leaving an unconscious Quarian and a worried human doctor behind him.

**To Airam, who is a chatty Kathy.**


	18. Chapter 18: Hero of Jump Zero

**Bill Here! Trying to do my best to write while finals are going on. I still have two left, and to be honest they are kicking my butt so far. This chapter is completely on the Normandy, doesn't really go anywhere at all, however it has quite a bit of combat in it. Be sure to look up anything you don't understand about the combat and send me a review or PM if you have a problem with something. I love getting reviews (even the bad ones) so don't be shy when you write one. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

"Life, huh?" Shepard mused aloud, taking a swig of whiskey.

He looked down to his hand, flexing it into a fist and relaxing it methodically.

Despite the amount of alcohol he had poured into his system at Flux, Shepard was still wide-awake. It had been a couple of hours later, he had eaten something since then, but even Shepard thought it was strange that he felt so oddly alert.

_Why have I been so ill tempered lately? _Shepard asked himself, clenching and unclenching his fingers. _Was it that Volus today? No, I got all my anger out when I stared him down. The Krogan bouncer maybe? Seems unlikely, he did bow his head, something that must have been hard for a Krogan. It couldn't have been what Chakwas said, could it?_

Shepard looked up, the portion of glass above his bed giving him a window into the dark of space. He could see the Citadel docks outside, various ships and transports going to and fro, carrying about their business at their own accord. It calmed him down for some reason, seeing the stars almost painted on a black canvas that was space.

_He's getting closer, isn't he? _Shepard thought. He wasn't sure how, but he felt it across the void of space, he felt his enemy making another step closer to his goal. _Has he found the Conduit? I don't think so, I would feel something much worse than this. Perhaps he's just uncovered another clue, connected another piece of the puzzle. In any case, I've got to get a move on soon._

Shepard leaned forward, throwing his weight towards his feet, aiding his rise from the couch. He stumbled slightly, catching himself, showing him just how drunk he really was.

_On second thought, maybe I should go to sleep. Yes, sleep is good, _Shepard thought, making his way to his bed. He used one foot to take off the other foot's shoe, and vice versa, leaving them at the side of the bed as he slipped in between the clean, crisp sheets of his bed.

_Mmm, soft, _Shepard thought, snuggling comfortably in his bed. It took only moments for him to fall asleep.

* * *

"Morning, sunshine."

Ashley looked up at the cheery voiced Lieutenant that sat at the table happily drinking coffee at a mess hall table. The bright lights and clean, smooth surfaces of the ship were already wearing down her nerves; Kaidan's ecstatic attitude was not helping.

"…Yeah, whatever," she mumbled, setting her breakfast down on the table as she took the seat across from him. She munched on a piece of toast as she eyed him warily.

A roar of a laugh erupted behind her, making her clench in the fetal position in pain.

"Hahaha! What a night, huh?! You humans sure can drink, for such tiny creatures," Wrex laughed, taking a seat, breakfast at hand.

Ashley turned, hands still clutching her head in pain, giving him a pleading look.

"…Please, don't talk so loud,…" she managed to say.

"Here, take some of these," Kaidan suggested, handing her a bottle.

She took it curiously, attempting to open it with great difficulty. After giving up using her hands, she opted to bite the top of it with her teeth while twisting the bottle open. Looking inside, she found several large blue pills, to which she poured out a few.

"They're for my migraines, but you can have one if you'd like," Kaidan said cheekily.

"Thanks,…" Ashley said sincerely, taking two pills in her fingers.

Kaidan outstretched an arm, warning her to stop.

"Wait," he said. "Only take half of one, they're pretty strong. Here, I'll help you split it."

He reached over the table, grabbing one of the large blue tablets. He put a finger on each side of the pill, breaking it in half along an indented line. Kaidan scooped up the remaining pills, replacing them in the bottle once more.

Ashley took the half and popped it in her mouth, a swig of coffee chasing it.

"Do you get migraines often?" she asked after swallowing.

Kaidan nodded. "The L2's are pretty rough sometimes. If I use it very often, I'll get a migraine."

Ashley was puzzled. "Then why do you use your biotics if they give such problems?" she asked.

"Because they give the human quad, that's why," Wrex said, giving Kaidan an approving slap on the back.

"Well, I wouldn't say it like that, but the L2 definitely packs a punch," Kaidan said.

"What are we talking about?" Garrus asked as he approached, setting his meal down next to Ashley.

"Kaidan's biotic implant," answered Ashley.

"I thought we were talking about migraines," Kaidan complained, uncomfortable with being the conversation's topic.

"Well, from what I've seen, you're on par with some Asari, Lieutenant," Garrus said, opening the package that contained his dextro ration.

"Thanks," Kaidan answered.

"But you don't stop using a gun just because it's got a little kick," Wrex argued.

"True. Who do you think would win in a fight, you or Shepard?" Garrus asked.

"Shepard of course, he's my commanding officer," Kaidan said, laughing nervously.

"Even when using biotics?" Wrex asked.

Kaidan looked at Wrex, then back to Garrus, unsure of what to say. "Well, I mean, no one can really fight a biotic empty handed…"

"Oh really?" came a voice from behind him. Kaidan's eyes went wide as two heavy hands came down on his shoulders.

"Do you really think you'd win a fight against me?" Shepard whispered, his mouth right next to Kaidan's ear.

"N-not exactly, I, I could only win if I could use my implant," Kaidan stuttered out.

"Who said you couldn't?" Shepard asked, a crooked smile forming across his mouth. He took his hands off of Kaidan's shoulders, taking a step back from him.

"Cargo Bay, three hours, unarmed combat. Be there, Alenko," Shepard said, taking his leave.

Kaidan sat very still, almost as stiff as a board. Ashley reached out to grab his hand and comfort him.

"I-it's ok, Kaidan," Ashley began.

Garrus and Wrex stifled a laugh until they could no longer back. They erupted into a fit of laughter, unable to hold in the urge. Wrex's laugh roared, his three fingered hand slapping his thigh enthusiastically while Garrus fell out of his chair clutching his abdomen.

"…I… am going… to die…" Kaidan said, his body shaking slightly as he sat in a paralyzed state of fear.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. You heard him; you can use your biotics. That should even the playing field," Ashley said, trying to encourage Kaidan.

"'Playing field'? Shepard doesn't have a 'playing field', he has 'kill zone'!" Kaidan exclaimed.

"Hey, it can't be that bad, can it?" Ashley asked.

Kaidan turned to meet her eyes with his. "I've seen him snap a man's neck with one arm. The guy looked like a bobble head."

"Oh boy," said Ashley.

* * *

Three hours later, the cargo bay was filled with almost every member of the Normandy's crew. A makeshift ring was made, a circle formed by various boxes of supplies, the floor coated in cushioned material procured from somewhere.

"Taking all bets, taking all bets!" shouted Joker, sitting behind a table at a terminal, taking credits from various crew members.

Kaidan stood at one end of the ring, Ashley vigorously rubbing his shoulders as he tried not to look nervous.

"Alright, now remember, don't be afraid to use your biotics and keep him at a distance, ok?" Ashley advised.

"Biotics and distance, got it," Kaidan answered.

At the other end of the ring, Blake stood, wearing his bathrobe over his shirtless body. His face, hooded by the robe, projected an intense aura through his dark eyes. He threw practice punches and kicks, moving amply to and fro, his movements swift and animalistic. He threw his weight into a kick, waist high and dangerously powerful, causing Kaidan to visibly shake in fear.

"Definitely keeping a distance," Kaidan mumbled to himself.

"Last call for the betting pool!" shouted Joker.

"Hang on, let me just put 200 more credits on Kaidan!" Garrus said as he came running up to the table, slapping the credit chits on the table.

"Ok, we get it, just don't knock over the table big guy," answered Joker with a chuckle.

"Don't be stupid, boy. Shepard is going to be the victor, no doubt in my mind," Wrex rumbled.

"We'll see about that, now won't we?" Garrus said, pushing the credit chits towards Joker.

Dr. Chakwas sat on the edge of the makeshift ring; next to a stretcher that she believed might be of some use. She also had her med kit prepared, just in case. _Knowing Blake, this could get ugly very fast, _Dr. Chakwas thought.

"What's going on?" asked a voice behind her.

Chakwas turned to find the young Quarian girl, from the look of fresh oil smudges on her suit, just left the engineering bay. She motioned Tali to take a seat next to her on the stretcher as she explained.

"One thing you will learn is that men are proud, even when it makes them stupid," said Chakwas.

"But what does this have to do with…" Tali began.

"Hush dear, everything will make sense soon enough," Chakwas interrupted.

The loud noise of a metal spoon being banged on a cooking brought the crowd to a silence. One of the crew stood in the middle of the ring, serving as an announcer.

"Thank you for your patience. Without further ado, the SR1 Normandy crew proudly presents this evening's entertainment!" the announcer said.

The crowd cheered. Shepard smiled under his hood as the announcer continued.

"In this corner, weighing in at 200 pounds, five foot eleven inches, raised in the blackness of space, the BAat biotic, the hero from Jump Zero, Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko!"

The crowd cheered, most notably from Ashley, her loud shrill voice heard over the yelling.

"And in this corner, weighing over 230 pounds, six feet two, born on Earth, the man who put the Skylian Blitz on the fritz, former gang member and N7 graduate, Commander Blake 'Black Dog' Shepard!"

The crowd cheered again, though louder this time. _Most of them must have bet on me, _Shepard thought. He threw off his robe, revealing his scarred, shirtless body. A few whistles were heard, the crowd no doubt admiring Shepard's disrobement. He smiled, looking Kaidan in the eye.

"Still think you can take me on?" Shepard asked confidently.

Kaidan looked down at his hand, clenching it, a faint blue glow surrounding his white knuckles. He looked back up and met Shepard's gaze in his.

"Just don't cry when I beat you in front of all your crew," Kaidan answered.

Shepard grinned widely, walking up to where the announcer stood. Kaidan followed, their stare was unbroken even as the announcer explained the rules.

"Ok, let's make this a good fight, biotics are allowed, however this is strictly hand to hand. Stay clean, and stay nonlethal. Shake hands and go to your respective corners."

Shepard and Kaidan complied, both breaking vision to go back to their corners before the start of the match. The pot bell was rang and they turned, both seeing each other as enemies for the first time.

Shepard charged, swift and low, while Kaidan threw a bolt of blue energy at him. Shepard rolled over his shoulder to the right, quickly popping back up to his feet just a few steps away from where Kaidan stood. Kaidan turned, slinging a destructive blue fist with him as he did so, but Shepard was too fast. He leapt forward, throwing his force of his weight into a kick, putting his heel right into Kaidan's chest.

The crowd cheered as Kaidan flew back, rolling to his side, coughing, desperately trying to get air back into his lungs. He looked up, finding Shepard standing still, looking down on him with an expression that Kaidan absolutely despised. It was a look of pity, of condescending, and of utter dominance. It pissed Kaidan off.

He rose to his feet, no longer worrying about the breath in his lungs. He brought a hand forward, motioning Shepard to come.

Shepard arched and eyebrow for a moment, before charging once more. With even less distance to cover this time, Shepard overestimated the ease of his approach, as he dodged bolts of energy, one caught his on the shoulder, sending his body sprawling across the ring.

He laid on his back, quickly aware of the sound of someone yelling. It was one man, and he was very high up from what it sounded like. Shepard's eyes went wide as he looked up to see Kaidan, almost flying, now falling directly at where Shepard lay, his right hand clenched with biotic fury.

Shepard rolled, not a moment too soon either, as Kaidan crashed into the floor where Shepard formerly laid. Shepard came up to his knee, his eyes coming up to see Kaidan throw a wide punch. Shepard swatted it away, making a quick strike at Kaidan's chest before slamming his chin with the hard surface of his palm.

The hit rattled Kaidan, but it didn't weaken his resolve. He took a long punch, extending his arm with the strike, which Shepard blocked. Kaidan let the energy go from his fist, bending his arm and nailing Shepard in his nose with his elbow. Shepard pushed Kaidan off, grabbing his nose, a line of crimson coming off of it.

Shepard looked at his hand, seeing blood, wiping his face of the excess liquid. His eyes changed, becoming fiercer, filling with the malice Kaidan only saw during battle.

Shepard lunged, throwing his left leg back and his left fist forward simultaneously in a superman punch. Kaidan blocked, but Shepard followed up, crouching down and launching a low punch into Kaidan's gut. Kaidan blocked it, but it still sent him up into the air for a moment. He landed on his feet, holding back the urge to vomit, clutching his stomach in pain.

_Damn, that punch really got me. I don't know how, I blocked it but my stomach still feels like it's doing backflips. I need to end this quickly, _Kaidan thought.

Kaidan stepped forward, his lower body glowing blue. He leapt, his right leg swinging up at Shepard's head with a biotic kick. Shepard ducked, wary of the glowing blue leg that just missed his head, staying low and evading. Kaidan landed on his feet, throwing a side kick at Shepard, which he swatted away. Kaidan kept up with the attack, keeping him on the defensive. He threw a front kick, turning it into a side kick when it missed, and then following up with roundhouse kick from the other leg. Shepard bobbed and weaved, careful to stay away from Kaidan's heels.

_Keep your distance, wait for the right time,… _Shepard thought to himself as he dodged another biotic heel. Kaidan let loose a wide roundhouse, an opening appeared to Shepard and he took it. He stepped forward and before Kaidan could bring his foot across, brought a hand down to hit the Kaidan's kicking thigh while bringing a fist up to smash his jaw. Kaida's vision was blurry, and before he knew it he was falling back, the pain of hitting the floor overloading his senses.

Kaidan let out a groan, long and painful. Shepard stood over him, hands ready and senses wary.

"You done?" he asked quickly.

Kaidan rolled over to his side, quickly coming up to his feet. He stepped towards Shepard once more, his tired face showing determination.

"Not, even, close," he panted out, his breath heavy.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Shepard said, taking three quick steps to close the distance. He threw two punches, both jabs with his left hand. They landed lightly, but kept Kaidan's eyes shut, blinding him from the third punch that Shepard threw with his right. He brought it up from his chest, palm down, twisting it palm upward as he threw it forward, his hips shifting to put the maximum amount of power behind it. The punch landed, hitting Kaidan once more in his already sore torso.

Kaidan saw stars, dropping to his knees as Shepard stepped away. Kaidan's eyes went wide as he fought with unconsciousness, trying not to black out. Shepard watched, his face stuck in a grim visage.

"Is that it, Alenko?" he asked. "Is that all you got? Throw a couple of kicks and biotic punches, get hit in the stomach three times and you're out?"

Something in Kaidan opened up, adrenaline flowing into his veins. His pain went away, his tired body now coming back to life. He stepped up to his feet, raising his hands definitely.

"Not yet," Kaidan said, baring his teeth ferociously.

"Right," answered Shepard, raising his hands as well. They circled the ring, observing each other's movements.

Kaidan made the first move, leading off with a front kick, but quickly following it with flurry of punches. Shepard dodged, stepping from side to side, zigzagging around Kaidan, his steps short and precise. He took quick punches, hitting Kaidan in the open spots that appeared when he punched. When Kaidan threw hooks, Shepard hit his exposed ribs, when Kaidan threw straight punches, Shepard countered, hitting his chin by using the long reach of his arms to his advantage. Kaidan kept trying, and at each attempt he failed, progressively getting more bruised and bloodier at every encounter.

That's when Kaidan used the ace up his sleeve. Kaidan threw a wide hook, aimed at the side of Shepard's face. Shepard ducked, taking the opening at Kaidan's ribs to strike, but Kaidan kept going, moving in the direction of his fist, spinning counterclockwise. He bent his legs, swinging his leg out as he spun completely around, sweeping Shepard's leg. Shepard fell to the floor, surprised, and Kaidan hit him with both hands, full of biotic power.

Shepard was thrown across the ring, rolling on the matted floor, his arms flailing about him. For a moment, it looked like he wasn't going to get up, but he did. Shepard's body moved roughly, rising back to his feet was tiring but successful.

Kaidan came running at full speed, blue energy around him like blue fire. As he neared Shepard, he jumped, rolling forward, swinging both feet over his head and slamming them down where Shepard stood. Shepard dodged barely, again on the defensive as Kaidan continued his assault, now using a plethora of biotic strikes.

Shepard's hairs stood on end as he blocked each punch, deflecting the energy rather than taking the force of the blow directly. Kaidan propelled himself at Shepard, hands a blur of blue haze. Shepard's hands moved faster than he could see, deflecting them as best he could, the movements too fast for him to keep track of consciously. In the back of his mind, he knew that if he tried to rely on his eyes to chase hands, he would be dead.

Kaidan launched a punch, committing to long strike. Shepard responded, pulling the strike past him at Kaidan's wrist, kicking the dominant leg out from Kaidan's body. Kaidan fell, guided down to the ground by Shepard, a loud slam accompanying the contact with Kaidan's body and the floor.

Shepard wasted no time, still keeping his grip on Kaidan's wrist and rolling back to the floor as well. He brought both hands to grip the arm, both of his legs laying on Kaidan's chest, as Shepard's body clenched, pushing Kaidan's elbow against its natural bend in an arm bar. Kaidan came back to life, his arm being bent severely against its nature, the pain shocking him back to attention. He struggled, trying to wrench his arm free to no avail, until he finally settled on launching himself into the air with his biotics.

Both Shepard and Kaidan went into the air. Shepard releasing from Kaidan's arm to land on his feet, then rolling forward safely onto the floor. Kaidan floated down to the mat, as graceful as a leaf on the wind, his biotics slowing his descent to a mere step down.

"You know, I didn't think you'd actually last this long," Shepard admitted, wiping the sweat from his face.

"I didn't either. I figured I would've been knocked out long ago," Kaidan answered, bending his arm to test the flexibility of it.

"I'm glad you didn't. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this," Shepard said with a chuckle.

Kaidan smiled, his bruised cheek starting to swell up on the left side of his face, laughing as much as his sore ribs would allow it. "You're right, this is pretty fun," Kaidan agreed.

"Too bad it's got to end here," Shepard pointed out.

Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What, are you giving up?" he asked Shepard mockingly.

"Nope," Shepard chuckled, shaking his head as he caught his breath. "I'm going to end it, right here, right now. In the next exchange, I'm going to knock you out, Kaidan."

"You better, because if you don't I'll flatten you," Kaidan said, raising a fist, the blue aura around him growing thicker.

Shepard raised his hands, bringing his feet closer into a fighting stance. "Wouldn't have it any other way," he muttered under his breathe.

Kaidan charged, his feet flying off the floor with a blue aura surrounding him. He tackled Shepard, grabbing him around the waist. Shepard rolled backward, letting Kaidan push him back only to get slammed into the ground once more by his own energy, putting Shepard right on top.

Quickly, Shepard put his right leg behind Kaidan's neck, looping the shin of it under the knee of his left. He pulled Kaidan's right arm, now caught in Shepard's legs along his head, pushing Kaidan's right shoulder into his throat, choking him. The triangle hold was starting to work; Kaidan's eyes began to budge outward as his face turned red, the blood in his head trapped now that his neck was clamped shut. Kaidan struggled, throwing his body forward and up to his feet. Shepard leaned back, keeping his body on the floor, trying to stay as heavy as possible.

Kaidan scrambled, his arms trying to desperately search for the weak spot in Shepard's hold. He put his right shoulder back, opening up enough space for Kaidan to gasp for air, before Shepard once again closed the gap, putting the squeeze back on Kaidan's throat. Finally, Kaidan spun, twisting against the hold, pulling his head out from the grip of Shepard's vice like thighs.

Kaidan rose, now filling his oxygen starved lungs with air. He had no time to recover, once Shepard got to his feet, he was hitting Kaidan with a barrage of attacks.

Shepard came in with straight palm, which Kaidan dodged narrowly, but Shepard pulled it back, gripping Kaidan by the scruff of his neck. Shepard threw forward his right elbow, intending smash Kaidan with the blade of it, before Kaidan stopped it with both hands, barely avoiding the sharp edge by a hair. Shepard quickly adapted, pulling Kaidan from the shoulder with both hands and bringing up his knee, hitting him once again in the stomach. Kaidan was winded, but had no time to waste, throwing a vicious uppercut from his bent over position, catching a surprised Shepard in the jaw.

Shepard stumbled back, just as Kaidan returned the onslaught. Shepard deflected a strike, just as another one grazed the side of his head. He saw an opening and took it, launching a last ditch effort at Kaidan's head. Kaidan cocked his head to the side, dodging it with ease as he pulled his hand back, filling his fist with biotic energy. He didn't get to release it however; Shepard put his other hand against Kaidan's chest, pulling his outstretched hand back. His hand came to smack Kaidan in the back of the neck, sending a large burst of blood into Kaidan's head, which coupled with the his already swollen face and exhausted body, knocked him unconscious.

Kaidan passed out, falling forward into Shepard's arms as he caught Kaidan's limp body. Shepard laid his body gently to the floor as Chakwas and other medical personnel came in to assess Kaidan's condition.

The crowd cheered as the long, brutal, but severely entertaining fight concluded.

Shepard stepped back, looking around, now remembering that there was in fact an audience watching him and Kaidan fight. He looked around bewildered, as Liara happily skipped up to him.

"Congratulations Blake! You won the fight!" she said, slinging a towel around his shirtless body, the blood and sweat quickly soaking into it.

Shepard looked at Liara, then back to where Kaidan laid, his eyes thoughtful. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"You were so brave! For a moment there, I was wondering if you really were going to win, but I never doubted you a moment!" Liara exclaimed.

"I knew it! Never bet against the best!" Wrex boomed, celebrating his newly acquired funds from Garrus.

"It was a fluke, I call I rematch!" Garrus said angrily, clenching a ticket in his hand.

"That was no fluke, it's called skill," Wrex stated smugly, crossing his hands around his chest.

"You try that in a real life situation and ninety nine out a hundred, Shepard would've been dead," Garrus complained.

"Well I guess Shepard is just one in a hundred," Wrex said, his wide crocodile teeth coming into a smile.

Shepard made his way over to where Kaidan laid, several crewmembers around him. "How is his condition?" he asked, now concerned with Kaidan's wellbeing.

Chakwas turned from checking his heart beat with a stethoscope. "He should be fine. His heart beat is regular, and his breathing is still very strong. He seems to just be unconscious."

Shepard smiled. "Good, I knew he was made of stronger stuff than that." Shepard watched as they moved him onto the stretcher, taking him to the Med Bay.

* * *

Kaidan awoke quite suddenly, still in fighting mode. He swung a punch forward, hitting nothing but air. He looked around, bewildered.

"Oh shit, I lost didn't I?" he said out loud.

"Yes, yes you did," answered Chakwas.

"Damn," Kaidan muttered, gripping the sheets in his hands.

"Hey, don't be like that. You put up a good fight, Jedi," said Ashley, sitting on the bed across from him on his left. He turned to look at her, incredulously.

"How good of a fight?" Kaidan asked.

"Good enough to break my shoulder," answered Shepard. He sat on the bed at the right of Kaidan's, Chakwas working on his shoulder with some sort of medical contraption. Shepard winced as Chakwas shocked repeatedly with surgical precision. Shepard appeared to be in slight pain.

Kaidan watched as Dr. Chakwas finished up, assumingly setting Shepard's shoulder back into place. She finished, a loud crack made Kaidan flinch as Shepard howled in pain. Kaidan cringed, gripping his own shoulder on sheer reaction. _That made my shoulder hurt, _Kaidan thought.

Shepard rose from the bed tiredly. "You did pretty damn good there, Kaidan."

"Same time next week?" Kaidan asked.

Shepard scoffed. "How about next month?" he asked.

Chakwas chuckled to herself as Shepard left, shaking her head. "I swear, that boy won't quit until he's torn apart limb from limb." She turned to speak to Kaidan. "Your wounds weren't major, Liuetenant, however I will need you to stay on observation in the Med Bay for at least a day. I've taken the liberty of treating your wounds, both internal and external, as well as injecting you with a large amount of Medi gel. You will be very sore tomorrow morning. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I need to attend to something."

With that, Dr. Chakwas walked out of the room, possibly intent on tracking down the limping Commanding officer of the ship.

Ashley rose from the bed she sat on to come to Kaidan's side. "You know, watching you fight like that, it really got me excited," she said, nuzzling closer to Kaidan's body.

Kaidan looked down at her strangely. "But, I just lost," he began.

"Hush. In my eyes, you won spectacularly. Now come here, 'Hero of Jump Zero'."

Ashley kissed Kaidan, her lips soft and angelic. The bruises on his face and the soreness of his ribs diminished as a sweet, fuzzy feeling came over him. Just then, a thought occurred to Kaidan. He voiced it aloud.

"You know, that was the first time I've ever used my L2 without getting a migraine afterward," he pointed out.

Ashley gripped his hand with hers. "Maybe you just needed to stop fighting with that big old brain of yours," she stated, poking the bandaged portion of his forehead with a finger.

Kaidan sighed, happy yet tired. "Maybe," he said finally.

* * *

Shepard went to the elevator, sore and tired. He was happy with the results of the fight; Kaidan learned to let loose a bit more, he and Shepard bonded slightly, but more importantly, Shepard had won the fight.

He knew it was petty and childish to be obsessed with such things, being the Commander of the Normandy, a Spectre, and a thirty year old man, but Shepard couldn't help it, he was competitive, especially when it came to fighting. It was something Shepard had done for years, in the slums, on Elysium, with Anderson, in N7 training, and led him to command the Normandy. It was in his bones, his blood, and for lack of better word, in his soul.

Still, he didn't want to kill Kaidan. Certainly not when you consider his track record as an officer. Kaidan was level headed, yet fearless, a good guy to keep behind him, watching his back. Shepard hoped he would have a speedy recovery.

He made it to his cabin, finally, making a turn to the shower. He limped slightly, his right leg weak, as he turned the water on. Shepard looked into the mirror, seeing his face for the first time.

He had sustained a couple of hits, most notably being his broken nose. It had bent slightly to the right before Chakwas had reset it, his nostrils now clogged with dried blood. He also had a thin line across his face, a scratch from one of Kaidan's biotic kick perhaps.

Shepard opened up the medicine cabinet behind his mirror, grabbing a cylindrical tube. He opened it, putting a finger inside and retrieving a bit of the grey Medi gel inside. He spread it on his face, covering the marks and bruises he sustained. _My nose is going to sore tomorrow. In fact, everything will be sore tomorrow. _

Shepard stepped into the shower, the hot water hitting his aching body. Shepard let a moan that was much louder than he anticipated; his muscles singing as the heat made them relax. He washed himself, cleaning off all the sweat and grime, stepping out to towel himself dry. He considered going to bed, when there was a bell sounding at the door.

"Hang on!" Shepard called out, quickly reaching out for something to wear. He put on some pants, clumsily stepping into them as the tiredness in his body began to catch up with him, throwing on a shirt without even buttoning it up.

He reached the door, opening it with a smooth hiss. Shepard's visitor was none other than the young Quarian engineer.

"Hello Captain-I mean Shepard," Tali said.

"Hey there Tali. What's up?"

Tali looked down, avoiding Shepard's gaze. "Well, I was wondering if I could discuss some details about the new upgrades to the ship…"

"Oh, sure, come on in, make yourself at home," Shepard nodded, making way for Tali to come inside. She complied, clutching a datapad in her chest with both of her hands nervously.

Shepard followed, quickly buttoning up his shirt. "Please, sit," he said, motioning to the couch in his cabin.

Tali complied, sitting down gracefully on the couch, still clutching the datapad. She eyed him carefully. "You seem, different," Tali stated vaguely.

Shepard looked down at his clothes, then back to Tali, confused. "How so?" he asked.

Tali cocked her head to the side. "I don't know, your skin and fur look, smoother, or something."

Shepard nodded. "I know what it is: I just got out of the shower. I'm still wet, you see," Shepard said, holding out an arm, displaying its subtle moisture.

Tali shook her head. "No no, that's not it. You're not all, agitated. You seem, what's the word, 'calmer'?"

Shepard sat down next to her, thinking deeply. "I suppose so. Fighting is quite calming when all is said and done."

"Well, you seemed irritable yesterday, like something was bothering you."

Shepard thought back to his actions. "Yeah, I guess I was pretty irratated. Maybe I just needed a good fight to get it all out?"

Tali was silent for a while.

"I'm sorry, Shepard," she said finally, hanging her head low.

"What? Why?" Shepard asked, bewildered.

"Because. Because of me, you were so angry, because I was being stupid, yesterday. I'm not sure why, but it must've been something I did because sometimes I do things without thinking about them and they offend other people without me knowing and I know what I did was wrong but I promise I won't do it again," Tali rambled, clenching her shoulders up together.

Shepard looked at Tali strangely. "Wait, you think I was mad because of you?"

Tali nodded solemnly.

Shepard laughed, stopping only when his shoulder began to ache once more.

Tali was confused. "Wha-wha-wha did I say?!" she asked desperately.

"I wasn't mad because of you, Tali. I was just in a bad mood that day," Shepard stated with a smile.

"Why?" Tali asked.

Shepard leaned back into the couch, thinking deeply for a moment. "I'm not sure. Something was off, a feeling I got earlier. I recognized it last night. I think Saren has made a move. Somewhere in the galaxy, he's made his goal one step closer. I can feel it."

"You're weird Shepard," Tali said.

Shepard turned, snapped out of his train of thought. "You think so?"

"Definitely," Tali said, a smile was audible in her voice.

"Well, what was it you wanted to show me?" Shepard asked, changing the subject.

Tali jumped, unfolding her arms from the datapad in her hands. She handed it over to Shepard excitedly, pointing out various elements. "Upgrades, accessories, and fail safes for the drive core. Very exciting."

"Of course. What do you suggest?" Shepard asked.

* * *

After a lengthy conversation on a subject Shepard knew almost nothing about, Tali bid Shepard good night. It had been a good discussion, the excited Quarian girl had talked with great tenacity, explaining the different upgrades and the improvements they would have on the Normandy's systems. Shepard had sat, clueless of the details Tali was raving about, simply letting her talk and enjoying the infectiously cheerful attitude that Tali radiated.

Shepard laid in his bed, slowly losing consciousness. His body felt heavy and, after the fight and the lengthy talk that preceded it, his mind was exhausted. He blinked, and fell back into sleep.

* * *

Shepard woke up, but not in his bed. He rose from where he slept, looking around at the unfamiliar architecture around him. _Doesn't look like anything I'm familiar with. Where am I?_

He got up to his feet, tripping slightly on something. He looked down at his feet, realizing that it was no longer his feet. He wore clothes he didn't remember putting on, but more importantly, his hands were not his hands.

He held his right hand up to the light, looking at in wonder. He looked at the bluish green carapace like skin, the hand with only three fingers on it. He twitched them slightly, wiggling them deftly, finally forming a three-fingered fist.

_What the hell? _Shepard thought.

_What is it, my love?_ Spoke a voice from behind him. Though Shepard didn't **hear** it from behind him, rather he **felt** it behind him. He turned to see what he thought would be a strange sight to him, when in actuality, was quite breath taking.

Standing behind him, looking quite beautiful, was a gorgeous alien. She had a wide head, a bluish green carapace lighter in color than Shepard's, four eyes, two in the regular place as humans, the other two smaller following the upward and outward direction of her eyebrow. Like Shepard, she had three fingers as well. Shepard had no idea what race the alien was, but for some reason, the sight of her made him relax.

_Nothing, my love, I am fine, _Shepard spoke to the alien. She smiled, though not visually like Shepard was used to, but more emotionally, as if Shepard could understand the mental gesture through years of communication.

_Then let us assess our children. The day should not be wasted, _the alien spoke, leading the way out of the room.

_Yes, let us go, _Shepard answered, following the alien woman.

* * *

Shepard woke up, quite startled. He clutched his heart as it thrashed against his chest, pumping blood to his confused head.

Shepard looked down, finding the familiar sight of his bed and cabin, but more importantly, the familiar sight of his hands. He checked the number of fingers, and finding that number to be five, he rushed to the bathroom mirror.

Shepard clutched the mirror, staring at it's reflection intently. He found his face to be quite human, his eyes to only have one pair instead of two, and his skin soft and tan, instead of green and coated with a light carapace.

"Oh God, what the hell was that dream?!" Shepard asked his reflection loudly. He thought back to the vivid, detail rich memory of it, more intense than any dream he had ever encountered. Eventually his breathing slowed, his wits returning to him.

"It was just a dream, Blake. It was just a dream."

* * *

**To Airam, who stole my computer so i had to use her Mac, which totally sucked.**


	19. Chapter 19: Burn it down

**Bill here! Finally got this chapter done, kind of a big source of writers' block for me. It's hard coming up with an ending, but it's even harder to come up with a beginning when you have an end. This chapter goes over some more of Blake's past, you get to meet one of his gang members, and then people get shot at and killed, so basically it's your average chapter. If you have a comment or opinion, leave me a review, and as always, enjoy!**

**Chapter 19**

Shepard dressed himself quickly. After waking up so suddenly from that dream, he felt quite troubled. His hands still trembled as he laced up a boot around his foot.

Rising from his bed side, fully dressed, he made his way out of the cabin and into the elevator. He went down to the engineering deck, intent on assessing the status of the Normandy's upgrades.

Shepard walked into the engineering bay, which was livid with personnel darting to and fro. The Normandy's large drive core looked like a beehive, so many engineers surrounding it, working on various components of the Tantalus Drive Core system.

As Shepard approached, Engineer Adams noticed his presence and turned to speak with him.

"What can I do for you, Commander?" Adams asked, his disposition in its usual relaxed state. Adams had always maintained an air of cool temperance, even in the heat of some of the most insane aerial maneuvers and in the wake of the damaged engine systems an Alliance vessel could have without being completely nonfunctional.

"Nothing you haven't been doing already, just checking on how the upgrades are going. Well, I hope?" Shepard asked optimistically to Adams.

Engineer Adams held up a firm fist, protruding his thumb boldly upward. "The Normandy's systems should be even more efficient with these add-on's and fixes. Should take only the afternoon to finish everything, at most," Adams prophesized.

"Is the Normandy going to need a lot of upgrades like this in the future?" Shepard asked, turning towards the Drive Core, mentally noting the amount of spare time he was now presented with.

"That's the thing with the Normandy: it's an experimental prototype, so it's in need of constant upgrades and alterations. Once we've put it through its paces, we can better predict how the ship will manage. It's more of a manufacturing concern than a real structural one," Adams explained.

"Alright then, you seem like you've got your hands full here, I'll let you work," Shepard said.

"Always a pleasure, Commander," Adams said.

"Likewise," Shepard answered, the bay doors closing behind him with a soft hiss. He made his way to the elevator, heading up to the CIC, the elevator slowly drifting upward, agitating Shepard's impatient nerves. He reached the level, quickly making his way out through the doors, before bumping into a young Asari.

"Oh, sorry!" Shepard exclaimed in surprise, as he sent the girl sprawling backward. He bent down to help her up, recognizing her as Liara.

"No, it was my fault, I was not watching where I was going," Liara began, quite flustered. Shepard helped her to her feet with a strong arm.

"It didn't help that I was in such a rush," Shepard chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Both of them were silent for a moment, Shepard looked around awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"Well, I should be going then," Shepard said curtly, walking towards the CIC. Liara turned to reach out to him.

"Wait. Commander, are you doing anything, important, right now?" Liara said, the words spoken with great effort.

Shepard shook his head. "No, not really. We've got the rest of the day until the Normandy will be ready for lift off and as long as the engineers are working, I've got nothing else to do."

Liara looked down, clasping her hands together in front of her sheepishly, her blue face turning a slight shade of violet.

"Well then, would that mean that you, that perhaps you wouldn't mind accompanying me to the Citadel?" Liara asked.

"Sure," Shepard answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Liara's face brightened at the statement. "Wonderful! We will leave at once!"

* * *

Shepard wasn't sure what was going on. On one hand, he had Liara nervously leading him through various parts of the Citadel, completing mediocre activities that Shepard had no real interest in. On the other, he was glad to be out of the Normandy, not worrying about the mission, or even a threat on his life for that matter. Shepard felt at peace, relaxed, his shoulders resting low, his arms loose, and his hands open, save for his left which was clutched in the hand of Liara.

"Let's go over there next!" Liara said excitedly, pointing at another miscellaneous place, containing yet another miscellaneous task. Shepard grunted in response, following her as she led him by the hand. _Is this what being a dad is like? _Shepard thought.

Liara dragged him along the paths, making her way through the dense, forest-like, urban area. They both arrived at what seemed to be a festival of some sort.

"Oh my! This looks interesting!" Liara said.

Shepard looked up, finding, to his surprise, something he recognized. The area was packed, filled with temporary stalls and shops set up in what seemed to be a hasty manner. Thousands of people walked from stall to stall, interested with whatever was contained in each small box of space. At the entrance of the stalls hung a banner which read: **EARTH DAY FAIR – All Races Welcome!**

Shepard grunted at the sight. _An Earth Day fair? When did this sort of thing start happening? _He thought.

"Let's go in, shall we?" Liara asked excitedly.

"Yeah sure," Shepard said, jolting out of his inner monologue. The two walked among the fair, looking at the various presentations each stall provided.

Shepard was skeptical of the last bit about all races being welcome considering the alienation of cultures, but lo and behold, among the crowds were more than just humans, many Asari, Turians, Volus, Batarians, Elcor, and even some Krogan were visible in the crowds. Shepard was shocked.

"Wow, I had no idea some many races would actually go to this sort of thing," he mused aloud.

"Indeed. I may not know much about humans, but I am still intrigued by their culture. However, other species seem to be much more scrutinized when it comes to humanity," Liara pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm surprised to see any Batarians here at all," Shepard stated.

"Why's that?" Liara asked.

"Well, humans and Batarians haven't exactly gotten along well together. Half the time when we meet, we try to kill each other. The other half isn't so friendly either. That usually only happens in the Skylian Verge, though," Shepard said.

"Is that where you fought on Elysium?" Liara asked.

Shepard turned to give the Asari an arched eyebrow. "How did you know I was on Elysium?"

Liara looked away slightly, only to face Shepard once more with her retort. "Well, after witnessing your actions first hand, I wanted to know more about you. You seemed like an accomplished soldier when we met, but my research proved that you are much more than that, Commander. I read about your victory on Elysium, along with several other articles on the extranet."

"Oh yeah? What'd they say about me? Did they mention my boyish good looks?" Shepard asked with a chuckle.

"Well, what was mentioned consecutively with each article source was your innate ability to survive hopeless situations. One source mentioned you as 'un-killable'," Liara recited.

Shepard smiled grimly, looking at one of the stalls that caught his eye. "You have no idea. Let's go over there."

Shepard gestured in the direction of food stall, and without waiting for Liara's response, made his way through the crowd, dragging her by grip which Liara refused to release.

When Shepard reached the stall, it became apparent what had caught Shepard's eye. Liara looked at the stall's sign, displaying a number of old fashioned Earth foods, scratching her head in wonderment. _What sort of food could this be?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a cloud, large and pink, intercepting the line of sight between Liara's eyes and the sign. She looked at the pink cloud, now recognizing as a fluff of soft looking material, held by a paper cone at the bottom. Shepard handed the cone to Liara as she took it with interest.

"Cotton Candy," Shepard stated.

"Cotton Candy?" Liara repeated slowly, staring at the mass of fluff. It wasn't until she saw Shepard lean in a take a bite of it that she realized that it was food.

"Eat it. It's good," Shepard reassured, turning back to talk to the shop owner.

Liara moved her head closer, slowly, unsure of what manner of taste or texture this new food might have. Finally, her mouth reached the cotton candy's surface, taking a piece of it with her lips. Liara yelped in delight, the sweetness of it was delicious, but more than that was the texture. It was soft, playfully soft, like an actual cloud, but sugary sweet, bringing up a series of childish pleasures Liara hadn't felt for a long time. She ate the candy with glee, until Shepard turned back, holding another food item in his hand.

"You liked the Cotton Candy, huh?" Shepard asked with a chuckle.

Liara nodded vigorously, a wisp of the candy product trailing on her lips. She looked at the thing in Shepard's hand expectantly.

"What's that? Is it sweet?" Liara quickly asked.

Shepard looked at what he held in his hand, bringing it closer for Liara to see.

"It's a hot dog. Here, take a bite," Shepard offered.

Liara leaned forward, taking a bite much quicker than she first did with the cotton candy. Her haste was not rewarded, however; the taste of the hot dog did not suit well with her tongue.

"Ugh, too greasy," Liara complained, her tongue sticking out in disgust almost against her will. Shepard shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not for everybody," Shepard said, taking a big bite of the hot dog. He pointed down the fair at another stall.

"Let's check out what's over there," he said.

"Ok."

* * *

Kaidan woke up in his bed, finding himself still in the Med Bay for the moment. He also found Ashley still beside him, carefully peeling an apple with a knife.

"You know I don't need the skin taken off, right?" Kaidan said.

"Who said they were for you?" Ashley answered, popping a peeled apple slice into her mouth.

Kaidan chuckled, sitting up in bed. He felt his body, much stronger than he felt yesterday, his ribs no longer ached, and his face was considerably less swollen. He swung his legs out from the sheets of the bed to the floor of the Med Bay, standing up slowly.

"Whoa there, you're not well yet Kaidan," Ashley said, trying to keep him from standing up. Kaidan placed his hands on Ashley's shoulders, pushing her away carefully.

"I'm fine, Ashley. Great even. That was one hell of a nap," Kaidan said, rising to his feet.

Ashley backed off; content with the state of Kaidan's body and the strength he had to keep himself up.

"Well that's Medigel for you," Ashley stated.

"I guess so. Where's Shepard?" Kaidan asked.

"I don't know. He didn't come by to check on you, unless he did when I was asleep," Ashley said.

"You slept here last night? You're so cute, you know that?" Kaidan teased, his finger coming up to stroke the bottom of Ashley's chin.

She swatted his hand away playfully, trying to stifle a smile that insisted on making itself visible. "I was worried that you would die in your sleep."

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Kaidan said, stepping closer to embrace Ashley, his lips coming to connect with hers. They kissed, softly and tenderly, for a moment, until Kaidan thought spoke up.

"Hey, what happened to hiding our relationship?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked.

"You know what I mean. What would Shepard think if he saw you waiting by my bed all night? Wouldn't that give it away?" Kaidan asked.

Ashley shrugged her shoulders. "It just means that we're close teammates," she suggested.

Kaidan gave her a strange look. "Really? So he's not gonna pick up on any subtle cues like how we always report for duty together, or how we seem to be much more closer to each other than any of the other crew?"

"Oh come on, it's not that obvious, is it?" Ashley asked.

"Garrus saw it," Kaidan stated.

"You have a point."

* * *

Shepard and Liara examined various monuments and landmarks of Earth.

"What's that?" Liara asked.

"Statue of Liberty. Copper statue made by the French, given to the United States early in their formation," Shepard answered.

"And that?"

"Egyptian Pyramids. Built thousands of years ago by slaves to serve as houses to pharaohs in the afterlife. They were built with perfect accordance to North, South, East, and West. They were built so cleanly you couldn't fit a razor blade in between the blocks."

"What about that one?"

"Mount Rushmore. It has the faces of four important US presidents: Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Washington. They carved it on a mountain as a monument."

"That's kind of narcissistic," Liara said.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Shepard answered.

"What about this one?"

"Great wall of China. For centuries, the Chinese were attacked by Mongolian raiders, so they built a giant wall to protect the north side of their territory. It's one of the largest structures ever built, and when you consider the technology they had back then, it's pretty impressive."

"You sure know your Earth history," Liara said.

"Well, I was born there," Shepard mentioned.

"How was it, growing up on Earth?" Liara asked.

Shepard looked down, his face tensing slightly. Finally, he grinned, though even Liara could see it was forced.

"It was alright. What about you? Where were you born?" Shepard asked.

Liara was surprised for a second, as the topic shifted to her childhood. "Well, I, I was born on Thessia, raised by my mother there."

"Nice planet, Thessia?" Shepard asked.

"You have no idea. The city, the sky line on the horizon, its beauty is breathtaking."

Shepard chuckled. "Sounds nice. Maybe we should go visit sometime."

"Oh, that would be wonderful! I could take you to the capital; show you all the monuments and buildings from thousands of years ago!" Liara exclaimed, clutching Shepard's arm gleefully. Shepard smiled at the sight of the excited Asari.

A wave of something hit Shepard's nose, a smell he hadn't experienced in a long time. It made him think of poverty, of death, smoke and fire, blood and murder. His face cringed, his mouth turned to a snarl, the knuckles of his fist popping as he clenched them until they turned white. The blood rushed in his veins, his hairs standing on the edge of his skin, the adrenalin setting his blood on fire.

Shepard looked around quickly, trying to see where the smell came from. He looked among the crowd, but found no source.

"Blake, what's the matter?" Liara asked, concerned.

Shepard blinked, breathing out the rush of aggression that had built up within him. He waved a hand at Liara. "Nothing, nothing's wrong. Come on, let's go see something else."

The pair walked out into the crowd, back into the sea of people. They only walked a couple of steps before Shepard felt something press against his back.

"Don't move," spoke a voice, calm yet stern.

Shepard stopped walking, devoting all of his attention to his senses. He drowned out the sounds of crowd to hear the breathing of the man behind him. He felt the vibrations from the barrel, the man's fingers finding a better grip on his gun. He smelled his scent, a lone tear of sweat dripping down the side of the man's forehead.

"I've got you point blank with my pistol; my friend over there has taken down your shields. Don't make any sudden moves," the man ordered.

Liara spoke, failing to see man's hidden gun, unaware of what was occurring. "Shepard, what's the matter-?"

Shepard held out an arm, stopping her. "It's fine, Liara. Why don't you go over there and wait for me. I've got some business to attend to with a friend of mine."

Liara seemed confused, both by the apparent aggression of the man that seemed to pop out of nowhere, holding something wrapped in his jacket against Shepard's back, and the tense, yet calm attitude that Shepard portrayed. She turned and left, reluctantly, looking back for a final view before proceeding to the stall Shepard indicated.

With Liara gone, Shepard breathed a sigh of relief. He focused his attention on the man behind him. "If you wanted to kill me, you'd have already done it. What is it you want?"

"My boss wants to see you."

Shepard smirked, comfortable even at gunpoint, still able to be amused. "Well your boss sure knows how to throw a welcome party. Where to, grunt?"

"Your left. Walk to the alley way. No sudden moves, or I blow your insides out."

"Sure thing," Shepard answered, raising his hands in front of him in a visible yet inconspicuous way. He made his way to the alley, eventually making it to door guarded by two equally suspicious men. _Hmm, I wonder who this guy is, and why exactly does he pick me out of a crowd to abduct? If I have to, I'll take the gun from the guy behind me, his grip isn't as strong as he thinks it is, plus it's not good to hold it point blank, it leaves a short distance for me to reach after I spin around to face him._

The door was opened for Shepard, the man staying sternly on his six. They walked inside, the doors closing behind him, and a voice beckoned to Shepard.

"Black!"

_The sound of eardrums popping, the ringing in his ears from an explosion. The smell of charred flesh accompanied by the halfhearted moans of those soon to be dead. A feeling of uselessness, of inferiority, coupled with a crippling feeling of awe and horror. The sight of hundreds trapped under rock and debris, smoldering from an inferno. _

Shepard turned, hearing the voice, walking toward it without even being shoved forward. His teeth were bared, his hands clenched, the muscles in his arms and legs were bulging in anger as he made his way across the room to find one man. The man was seated comfortably under a light, his face obscured, but Shepard could tell who it was, the contours of the man's face burned into his mind.

"**…You…**" Shepard said through clenched teeth.

"Yes, it's me. Long time, no see, Black," the man said.

"…I thought you were dead. I thought I killed you,…" Shepard began.

"Well you didn't," the man snapped.

"I watched you burn!" Shepard shouted loudly.

The man was still for a moment. Then he leaned forward, stepping up from his chair, raising his head enough for his face to be illuminated. What may have once been a face was now a horrid melted callous, a leathery slab of flesh with three holes in it, barely allowing room for the man to see and speak.

"You're right, **I did burn**. But as you can see, I'm still alive," the man said, his mouth sneering devilishly without any lips. His eyes were black, almost possessed, filled with a malice indescribable. His nose was almost nonexistent, the cartilage had been crushed, and then cut open to allow the man to breathe, leaving two small holes that made a wheezing sound as he did.

Shepard's face had also changed; his teeth were long and menacing, a vein on the side of his forehead protruded outward, and even his eyes were deep and hateful.

"I should kill you for showing your face to me," Shepard snarled.

"And I should kill you for taking my face from me, along with other things," the man responded.

"Not after what you took from me, Mark," Shepard answered back.

Mark chuckled, a little too wildly for comfort. "What I took from you? It's funny that you say that, Black. I've had a lot of time to think about what you took from me. Lots and lots of time."

Shepard folded his arms at his chest, a little calmer now. "Well unlike you, I ain't got time. So tell me what you want from me so I don't have to look at your ugly face any more."

Mark seemed offended by that last statement, but made his declaration anyway.

"I want you to you to go to C-Sec headquarters and pick up someone," Mark said.

"Someone?" Shepard asked.

"One of our brothers. He's been arrested by C-Sec. I want you to release him using your Spectre status," Mark said.

"Forget about it! I'm not your free ticket out of jail!" Shepard shouted, stepping forward. Several men from the behind Mark appeared from the dark, almost materializing from nowhere. They raised their guns, protecting Mark by blocking Shepard's path to him. Shepard grimaced bitterly.

"You are and you will," Mark said, sitting back down in his chair. "You'll do it because if you don't, I'll kill your lady friend out there."

Mark projected an image of Liara shopping, ignorant of the perils that might befall her. Shepard's blood boiled.

"Leave her out this!" Shepard roared.

Mark's black eyes glowed at the sight of Liara's innocent form. "Does she know what you've done? How many lives have ended by your hand? How much blood and gore you've seen? How much pain and suffering you've caused? If she did, you know that she'd never look at you the same way!"

"That's not true!" Shepard shouted.

Mark turned back to Shepard, his stare alien and so horrifying that Shepard didn't think there was any humanity left in Mark. "It is true, Black. You lived with us for years, raiding and fighting together, and you threw that all away, for what? **For that bitch?!**"

Shepard roared, his entire body flexing in rage, two men coming hold him back from tearing Mark apart.

"What has changed since then, huh? I bet you got a new gang to run with, a new girl too. And you're just going to betray them as well, just like you did me and Don," Mark spat the words out with disdain.

"You're wrong! Don lied to me! He didn't say we were going to kill them all, burn them alive in their sleep. The only thing I cared about was in that shitty building. But by the time I got there, she was already dead, killed by you! That's why I left you to burn, Mark!" Shepard yelled, pushing against the two men that struggled to hold him back.

"We were a gang, Black. We stuck together. Don did what was best for the gang, and you know it. We couldn't have anyone loyal to Dalton that would rat us out. So shut up and go do your job, Spectre," Mark said.

Shepard's body relaxed, for the most part, his words calmer, yet colder.

"When I come back, you're dead," Shepard said, pointing a crooked finger at him with rage.

Mark chuckled. "Is that a threat?" he mocked.

Shepard shook his head.

"No, that's a promise. I'm going to finish what I should've done years ago."

* * *

"So are you in, or are you out?" asked Don after he finished explaining.

Blake scratched the top of his head, thinking deeply.

"Let me get this straight, you want my help to kill Dalton? The man that accepted me when I was a runt and gave me food? That guy?" Blake asked.

Don nodded.

"Why?"

"He's old. Every year, his hair get whiter, his skin gets softer, and his bones get frailer. And yet, he tells us where to go, when to raid, and decides who gets what. All he does is sit on his throne and eat his cut of the spoils, the biggest piece by the way, that we bring him and that he decides he deserves. He's weak, and a gang with a weak leader is a weak gang. I say we take him out, and take what's rightfully ours as the strongest members of the gang," Don spoke, clenching his fist in front of him with great tenacity.

Blake nodded slowly, processing the new information.

"He is an old fart," Blake mused aloud.

"And he's living off of us! You've been there with me, in the raids. We know what to do, where to go, when to raid and when not to. You and me, we can run this gang much better than old Dalton!" Don said loudly, his hand gripping Blake's shoulder.

Blake looked down for a moment, thinking about it. Finally he raised his head and met Don's eyes.

"When do we start?"

* * *

The night was a new moon, which meant complete darkness in the slums. Everyone in the gang slept soundly. Everyone but a handful of men.

Blake opened his eyes while he lay in his bed roll. He carefully shook off Jessica's tired, outstretched arm, sure to keep her from waking. She mumbled, to Blake's horror, but went quietly back to sleep rolling over with indistinct mumble. He rolled to the side to his feet, slipping his knife and sheath out and sliding it into his belt holster. He walked out of his tent, set up in his predisposed portion of space within the camp.

Blake walked around the camp grounds, sure to ascertain whether the coast was clear. Finding no one on guard, he scoffed. _The night of his assassination and he puts no one of guard duty. This man is definitely going senile, _Blake thought.

He snuck deeper into the building, reaching the end of the building and Dalton's tent and throne. He looked at the throne in wonderment, as he made his way to it.

Sitting down in the misshapen metal seat, he looked around at the throne room; the wide space of empty clearing that would be filled with the people of the gang once they learned of Dalton's fate. Blake sat happily, imagining the sight, the people agape by the horror of Dalton's death, now going to the only men strong enough to lead them. _And that's me and Don, _Blake thought cheekily.

He stood up from the throne, making his way into Dalton's tent, made up of the finest cloth the gang could find. Blake silently lifted the cloth away to reveal its innards.

And there, as awake and alert as any man, sat Dalton smugly. He grinned up at Blake.

"Are you here to kill me on this moonless night, Black?" he asked.

Blake was shocked, first by Dalton being awake and second by him knowing exactly what Blake was doing.

"Yes, and there is nothing you can say to stop me," Blake whispered, drawing his blade slowly. Blake leap, stabbing downward where Dalton sat, only stabbing air. The old man was quicker than he let on.

Dalton rolled to his left, his legs spread wide, his stance low, almost spider like. Blake turned and charged, slashing violently in vicious swipes.

Dalton dodged, bobbing and weaving like a boxer, letting out a chuckle as he did, taunting the young boy.

"Come on, then. Kill me! I'm just an old kook right? You're going to haave to be stronger than that if you want to lead this gang!" Dalton teased.

"Shut! Up! And! Stand! Still!" Blake yelled, grunting each syllable with a swipe at Dalton's deft body. He deflected Blake's wreckless strike, smacking him in the forehead with a returning blow.

"You need to be faster than that, Black Dog!" Dalton called.

Blake rubbed his forehead painfully. He turned to look at Dalton critically, focusing his mind on his enemy.

"That's it, Black. Feel your enemy's movements. Feel his energy around you. Find his weakness and exploit it. Come on now, you know what to do."

Blake stepped forward, making his way closer to Dalton. He lunged, his arm a flash with the shine of his blade. The strike missed, barely, but didn't stay stagnet, instead it adapted, flowed, changed into a swipe, cutting across Dalton's chest, leaving a fine red mark.

Dalton dabbed his scar curiously, before Blake plunged the knife into his belly. His whole body convulsed, falling back and down, the knife sticking out of his gut. When he spoke, a drop of blood splattered out of his mouth, making the ground around him wet and messy.

"H-he will betray you, you know. I hope you realize that. With me out of the picture, the only one that can challenge him is you."

"Like I said, Dalton, nothing you say will stop me," Blake repeated solemnly.

Dalton looked condescendingly back at Blake.

"Of course not, you won't realize it, not until it's too late, not until he's taken everything from you," Dalton prophesized.

"He wouldn't kill me. Hell, he needs me," Blake said.

"He needed you to kill me. After that, he'll toss you away. But come now, you're not afraid of my words. Come, slice my neck, drain my blood and finish the deed."

* * *

Shepard headed to the C-Sec office, his every step showing just how worked up he was. People noticed, watching him angrily stomping to his destination, their faces bursting into expressions of fear and dismay. The dove out of his way, stopping walking to avoid coming into contact, even turned around and going the other way just to evade him.

Shepard reached the office, gritting his teeth crossly before entering.

It took only two seconds for the entire office to notice the heavily armed man as he arrived, some reaching for their guns on instinct, others diving behind their desks for cover.

Rather than stand on formalty, Shepard opted to procede with the most direct approach.

"I'm looking for a man, goes by the name of Motorhead, I was told he was held here," Shepard announced.

A small lithe man approached him, secretary in appearance.

"We have him in the holding cells. What would be your business with him?" the man asked politely, but with undertone of displeasure.

"Spectre business. I need him released and put into my custody," Shepard answered, addressing the small man.

"He killed five innocent people in the Zakara Wards!" yelled an officer from across the room.

"Not to mention his involvement in several robberies around the Citadel," added another.

"What if I just borrowed him for a little bit? I promise to bring him back," Shepard smirked at the officer still taking cover behind his desk.

"A Spectre would gain access of prisoners, regardless of red tape. Please follow me," the small man replied, leading the way.

* * *

"Is this the guy you wanted?" Shepard asked, kicking the young gang member down in front of Mark.

Mark seemed preoccupied with other tasks, cleaning the dirt and grim out from his finger nails with a knife blade.

"Tell me something, Black, what does that woman know about you?"

Shepard sighed. "Is this the part where you try to get into my head, Mark? Cause your backwater, borderline crazy brain ain't digging into my skull any time soon."

He seemed bored; his attitude was lax in expression as he sat in his chair to the side with one leg protruded outward, over the arm of his chair.

"Answer the question, Black," Mark repeated.

Shepard sighed, folding his arms, inducing Mark in his insane agenda.

"No she doesn't know about my past. It's kind of hard to bring up how you used to kill people when you were fourteen and steal their stuff for a living. That shit doesn't come up organically."

"And what if she did?" Mark asked, wagging a finger at a distant gang member. The man brought with him another person, a woman. Shepard's eyes went wide and angry as he saw Liara in captivity, her hands bond behind her back, the gang member leading her by a cord. His blood boiled with rage at the sight, the heat flowing to his face as his whole body began to erupt.

"I got your stupid kid back, now leave her out of this!" Shepard shouted in protest.

Mark turned to look at Liara, leering at her with such lust as he spoke. "Oh you've paid your debt, but she hasn't. You see, she owes me, as did you, just for being your companion. She'll work it out on the streets, doing 'favors' for various customers until I feel that she's earned her fill."

"I got a better idea," Shepard stated shortly.

He reached up to his bandoleer, unhinging two grenades from their pins, tossing them into the room. Smoke quickly filled the room, causing a panic to ensue.

As quick as a flash, he whipped out his pistol, pointing it at the back of the neck of the young gang member, Motorhead. He fired, the gun clicking, the round bursting from its barrel, piercing the back of his neck and splitting it open like a water melon. As quickly as it killed Motorhead, Shepard's pistol changed aim, pointing now at the gang member holding Liara's restraints. He fired twice, first hitting just above his right knee, and then his left. The man quickly dropped, before he was flung against the wall in a biotic fury, making an audible wet crunch. Liara gave him a 'thumbs up' sign as she released herself from her bonds.

Smoke now obscured vision, crippling Mark's orders barking through his coughing and wheezing.

"Get them you, *cough, cough* you little shits!" Mark said, his nose and mouth already partially constrained with his calloused visage, now clogged by the rapid smoke produced by Shepard's grenades. The first charge blew, delayed but savage in it's explosion, making the entire room seem to flinch to one side.

Shepard made his way to Liara through the smoke, taking shots at anyone how seemed to want to shoot them, finally throwing an arm around her as they both struggled to gasp for air.

"You've got to get out of here!" Shepard shouted of the deafening sound of the second explosion.

"I'm not leaving without you!" Liara shouted in protest.

"Yes you are, I'm not going to be the one that leaves first this time!"

* * *

Blake left Dalton's tent, blood on his hands, his knife cleaned off using Dalton's tunic. He looked up to find Don fiddling with some sort of mechanical box.

"What's going on Don? What's with the thing?" Blake asked.

Don stood up quickly in response. "This? Oh, nothing. Did you take care of Dalton?" he asked expectingly.

Blake nodded.

"Killed the old codger like it was a chore."

"Great, let's get out of here," Don said, tapping him on the shoulder before turning to leave.

"And do what? I thought we were going to take over the gang," Blake said.

"We are, but we have to leave, now. Come on!" Don said, leading Blake by the arm.

Blake followed, confused, but sensing Don's sense of urgency. He followed Don all the way through the camp, out broken doors and a distance away before Don turned back around. He put his hands on his hips triumphantly.

"And now we watch," Don said plainly.

"Watch what?..." Blake began to ask. He realized what the box was, what had just happened, and what Don had really planned. In that moment of clarity, he felt a fear worse than anything he'd felt before. Worse than running from vagrants, worse than raiding trucks, even worse than the traumatic incident of losing his parents. For in that moment, he realized he feared something worse than his own death, and that was the death of Jessica. The next moment was only fire and flame.

* * *

Shepard led Liara through the fiery building, keeping her low and breathing air that was less clouded by smoke. _Those grenades shouldn't have burned so much. Mark must have been making something back there, a still or something else flammable. Black. noxious fumes like these don't come from Alliance grenades, only backwater demolitions from the Slums make a smell this bad. What was he planning?_

They reached the entrance of the building out into the alleyway, now completely unguarded. They walked through the doorway, staggering out towards fresh air, when Mark beckoned at them.

**"BLACK DOG!"** Mark shouted, his yell tearing apart his vocal cords.

Shepard turned to meet Mark's stare of malice, his hatred renewed. The look in his eyes reminded Shepard of himself, the feral insanity that characterized him as his namesake.

"Go," Shepard ordered to Liara, keeping his gaze on Mark's tattered form.

Liara hesitated at first, but then left, leaving Shepard to stare past Mark's eyes and into his putrid soul.

Then, like the crack of lightning the two men charged at one another, death in both of their eyes. Shepard's heavier form took its advantage, tackling Mark around the waist, slamming his body into the ground. Mark rose up, slashing across Shepard's face with his jagged fingernails, clawing at his eyes. Shepard clutched Mark's neck in his hands, his grip squeezing tightly enough to slam the back of his head against the metal floor. Mark was unfazed, his hatred fueling his lust for blood. He bent his leg up, kicking Shepard off of him with a sharp heel. Shepard stumbled back, hitting a wall behind him, while Mark dived at his legs. Shepard quickly turned and threw the lunging body behind him, slamming Mark into the wall.

Clutching his head in anger, Mark kicked viciously, sweeping Shepard's stance. He dived on top of Shepard, his hands coming up to his neck like talons, foam building at the sides of his crooked smile, the pupils in his black eyes dilating wildly.

"Finally, after all these years, I finally get to kill you. I hope your blood tastes good, Black Dog!" Mark laughed, the last bit of sanity leaving him. His crazy mouth opened, splitting calloused and flakey skin as it opened wider than usual, revealing a set of jagged yellow teeth. The vicious maw came closer to Shepard's face and exposed neck, igniting an instant reaction.

Shepard pulled his arms back, breaking Mark's grip on his neck, pulling his head into Shepard's as he cracked the remaining bones in Mark's damaged forehead. Mark was dazed for a while, a split second; just enough to let Shepard reach down to his hip and let loose his pistol.

* * *

"Jessicaaaaa!" Blake shouted, running towards the camp even as it erupted into smoke and flame. The remainder of the building collapsed, releasing a large dust cloud, which snuffed out the remaing inferno.

Blake ran into the camp ruins, searching for the location of his and Jessica's tent and bed. Everywhere he looked, he found people, dead or dying, but at the moment he did not care for any others. Sweat poured from his face as Shepard searched for his beloved.

When he finally found her, she was already limp, her body bending at an unnatural angle. He reached down, trembling as he did, coddling her corpse like a mad man as he wept. He pressed his face full of tears on her bosom, seeking one last warm goodbye.

"Jessie, please, wake up, Jessie, you can't leave me like this," he pleaded, his whole body aching with grief.

A gruff voice spoke. "Why are you still playing with that girl's body? She was loyal to Dalton. You understand."

* * *

Blake walked, blood dripping down his shirt, his face as solid as stone. He walked away from the ruins, away from everything, in the direction where Don had told him they would go. _To find the other gang members loyal to Don. To find the others who made that bomb. To finish this. _Blake recited the thoughts in his mind as he reached what seemed to be a vehicle of some kind.

A handful of men were present at the transport. Blake recognized them as raiders, he had fought with many of them. They greeted him with big cheers.

"Black Dog! You enjoy the fireworks? I know we did!" said one man.

"Yeah, they were great," Blake said solemnly.

"Where's Don?" another man asked.

"Oh, he said he needed to give the place on last looksey before we go, you know, nostalgia and all that," Blake lied.

"That's just like him. How was killing Dalton? I bet the look on his face when you killed him was priceless, am I right?"

"Yeah, priceless," Blake repeated, staring at his bloody hands.

A man patted Blake on the back reassuringly. He looked up, finding his gaze met by one of the bright eyed members of the gang, Mark. He smiled at Blake.

"Cheer up, Black. I'm sure Dalton knew he had it coming to him. After all, Don made a deal with those men from the caravans to get rid of Dalton and the rest of the gang, and in return we get to come to the city, do some actual crime. Check the guns they got us!" Mark stepped into the truck, fishing out a pistol from inside. He handed it cheerfully to Blake, who held it in his hands.

"After I built that bomb, I figured it was on to bigger and better things. My talents are wasted on slaughters like this, they need to be put somewhere where they can do the most amount of damage, you know?" Mark complained.

Blake looked at Mark, the gears turning in his head. _Mark made the bomb, the bomb Don used, the bomb that killed Jessie. _He looked at the gun he gripped in both hands thoughtfully.

"Most amount of damage, huh?" Blake repeated, clicking the pistol's safety off. Before any of the gang members knew what was happening, Blake shot three men down. Hitting them in lethal spots, the head, the neck, the stomach, dropping them in screams of agony, he finally found himself face to face with Mark.

"You made the bomb," Blake repeated.

"Buh, I wah, what are you doing?" Mark was speechless, stuttering as he sputtered out words as best he could, but to no avail. Blake shot him in the foot dropping him. His yelps in anguish were silenced by another shot, this time not hitting Mark's body. Blake hit the side of the truck, on the fuel tank, leaking it out into a puddle around Mark. It burned his skin, his fresh wounds scorched by the fuel.

"And what do you think will happen when I pull this trigger?" Blake asked voice as cold as steel.

Mark begged, he pleaded, beseeched but the look on Blake's face showed that there was no avail.

"Burn you son of a bitch."

Blake pulled the trigger, the round hitting Mark in the shoulder, coming out the other end and bouncing off the hull of the truck. The super accelerated round made sparks when it hit the piece of metal, igniting the puddle of fuel that Mark sat in.

It happened so fast, Mark burst into flames, unable to do anything about it. He flailed about to no avail, attempting to get up, but his legs buckled while the air in his lungs escaped him. He finally was still, unable to move, his vision stuck at the image of Blake watching him burn to death.

Blake watched until Mark stopped moving, making his way in the direction of the city.

* * *

The round made a crack even in the blazing inferno of a room, splitting something within Mark's broken body. Shepard rolled him off of his chest, letting him lay on his back as Shepard got to his feet.

Shepard looked down at the body that was once his former comrade, now former enemy. He was about to turn away when Mark's creaky voice broke the silence.

"…Finish the job…" Mark pleaded weakly, raising a crippled hand in protest.

Shepard turned back, drawing his pistol. He aimed at Mark's head, firing two shots into his skull. The sound of the mechanisms in Shepard's pistol heralded the peace Mark now found in death.

Shepard walked out of the building, the smoke now growing too large for the simple extinguishing mechanisms built into the ceiling. As he took his leave, he could hear the sound of sirens, no doubt C-Sec and some other form of Citadel damage prevention agency coming to clean up the mess.

Shepard looked back at the alley way once he reached a sizable distance. Watching the black smoke rise, he jumped when approached by a young Asari.

"Blake! Where have you been? I was worried you were still in there," Liara said. "Anyway, what was that all about? Someone you knew?"

Shepard kept his eyes on the burning building while he spoke. "I did know him at one time, yes. But at our meeting, we were complete strangers. We were no longer the boys who grew up together. It's a long story, maybe I can tell you another time. For now, let's go home, I've had just enough of the Citadel that I can handle."

* * *

**To Airam, for being just as weird as I am.**


	20. Chapter 20: Susan and the MSV Fedele

**Bill Here! Summer is finally here, nothing but hot weather, Mechanics of Solids, and Mass Effect for the next month. It's weird how I've already gotten to the 20th chapter. It seemed like yesterday I was just writing this for fun. Anyway, this is the specific mission for Garrus where they find Dr. Saleon. I liked how it turned out. Leave me a review with what you thought about it, and as always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

"Take Cover!"

The team hid behind the cover of a wall of crates. The following explosion was so loud it made Shepard's ears ring, deafening all the other noise around him. His head spun wildly, his vision blurring erratically.

It did not stop him, nor did it deteriorate his strength, as he leapt over the wall with a feral roar of orders, shooting his rifle from the shoulder and slicing through enemies with each powerful shot. He pointed the long barrel at each mechanical figure in the distance, comfortably aiming it without the use of the scope due to the vast amount of experience he had firing it, knocking out Geth left and right in the chaotic hail of gunfire and flame

The rest of the team could only admire his courage and follow him, aiding Shepard as they cut through the squad of Geth that formerly pinned them down. Both Garrus and Ashley spat out death from their assault rifles, aided by the biotic shockwaves thrown by both Liara and Kaidan. Wrex sprinted to follow Shepard as he charged ahead recklessly, sure not to leave the Commander alone in the heat of battle.

It was a short battle. The shooting stopped and the smoke cleared, leaving the team quietly reflecting. Wrex and Garrus laughed, now feeling the fleeting effects of adrenaline, leaving them with only laughs.

Tali looked around, finding a lone figure clad in black armor, sitting in a wide stance on a fallen Geth that served as a seat. She approached the Commander, watching him stare at the face of a broken Geth.

"You ok?" Tali asked.

Shepard turned, breaking away from his thoughts. He wiped the sweat that poured from his forehead, slicking his wet hair back.

"Yeah, just fine. Great actually. It's nice to get some exercise out here on some random planet in the middle of the void," Shepard answered with a smile.

A roar of laughter came from the direction of the two male aliens, the rest of the team flocking around them as well. Shepard looked at them fondly.

"It's funny. They remind me of my old crew," Shepard mused.

Tali looked over at the rest of the team, then back to Shepard.

"You had a crew?" Tali asked in surprise.

"Yeah, back when I was just a grunt," Shepard said. He rifled through his pockets, procuring a weathered photo and handing it to her.

Tali grasped the photo gently, viewing it in a curious manner. It showed five people, all lined up together. Shepard stepped forward to point out each member.

"The one in the middle is Sandra; she was in charge for the most part. Pretty serious gal, didn't take any backtalk, but she knew what she was doing. The one next to her is Carl; he was pretty straight laced for the most part. That stick of a man next to him is Simon. I don't know where he learned to shoot, but he could snipe a man between the eyes at 1000 meters blindfolded. That giant in the back is Argo, and yes he is human, don't let the size fool you. Best demo man I've ever seen, could make a bomb out of anything, and a tough son of a bitch too. And that boy there is yours truly."

"That's you?! You look so young!" Tali exclaimed.

Shepard rubbed the back of his neck. "Well that's because I was young. I was about 20 at the time, barely a man by human standards. I wasn't unknown to killing back then, though."

Tali held the photo in her three fingers tenderly, looking at it with a warm smile.

"What happened to them?" Tali asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Who?" Shepard asked backed.

"Them. These people. What happened to your crew?"

Shepard grimaced, turning it into a forced grin. He reached out and took the picture in his hand.

"I'll tell you later. For now, we got to head back to the ship. We've got more Geth to track down," said Shepard, standing up from his make shift chair, walking over to the rest of the crew to assemble them.

Tali watched Shepard as he spoke to Garrus and Wrex, feigning cheerfulness when one of them told a joke, making everyone laugh. She watched as he forced himself to laugh as well, slim cracks of grief seeping through the expressions of his face.

* * *

Shepard walked into the cockpit of the Normandy.

"What is it Joker?" he asked.

"Commander, I've got a distress signal from a derelict ship," Joker said over the.

"Really? Where at?" Shepard asked.

"In the Herschel system. It's the MSV Fedele, Kowloon class. Some sort of medic supply ship, but there's no record of cargo," Joker commented.

"Whose name is the ship licensed to?"

"A 'Doctor Heart'. No first name."

"Some sort of joke name, maybe?"

"If it is, it's not a good one. And this is coming from a guy nicknamed 'Joker'."

"Move in range for a closer look. I'm going to go see Garrus, maybe do a background check, see what I pick up," said Shepard. He turned and left, leaving Joker about his business, heading past the CIC down to the mess hall, finding Garrus talking excitedly to Kaidan about something.

"Hey Garrus, can you check something out for me?" Shepard asked.

Garrus turned from his conversation to face Shepard.

"Sure, what is it?" he asked.

"We've got this ship calling a distress signal, it's supposed to be a medical supply ship but it's got no registered cargo."

"Well, that sounds, what did you humans call it? Smelly?" Garrus tried for the right word.

"Fishy," Kaidan corrected.

"Right, that. Let me see the details of the ship," Garrus said.

Shepard tapped his Omni tool, sending Garrus the information of MSV Fedele. Garrus looked at his omni tool, scrolling through the lines of information. He stopped, and was very still for a moment.

"Garrus?" Shepard asked.

On the outside, Garrus was very still, but in his mind, there brewed a terrible storm. A typhoon of rage erupted, head butting with a hurricane of grief and despair. Panic shot out like streaks of lightning, paralyzing him.

"Garrus? Are you ok?" Shepard asked, his voice getting quite concerned.

Shepard reached out slowly, his fingers coming to grip Garrus' forearm. Garrus lashed out, his other arm coming to grab Shepard's arm with a sharp talon.

**"Shoot the ship!" **Garrus exclaimed suddenly.

"What?!" Shepard asked, bewildered. Kaidan was even more surprised, taking a step back.

"Now! Shoot the ship down, Shepard!" Garrus roared, his grip tightening around Shepard's arm, his talons sinking deeper into his skin.

"What are you talking about?! Garrus, let go!" Shepard yelled back, yanking his arm in protest.

Garrus looked down at Shepard's arm, the human blood oozing out from in between his Turian talons. He gasped, recoiling his arm in astonishment, now stained with red blood.

"Shepard, I, I'm so sorry," Garrus began, trying to apologize.

"Save it. What the hell is going on here?" Shepard asked angrily, wiping the blood off on his sleeve. Though it seemed inconvenient at the time, Shepard secretly liked seeing his own blood, it helped him remember just how mortal he really was.

Garrus looked down, ashamed and embarrassed.

"I don't know what came over me, it's just… I know where that ship came from."

Shepard looked up from his fresh wounds in delight.

"Great. Where?"

"On the Citadel, there was a this guy, a geneticist by the name of Dr. Saleon. We were investigating the buying and selling of body parts on the black market. Usual stuff, sometimes a hospital closes down and sells off its unneeded parts, but this was off the scale, I mean worse than it's ever been," Garrus recited from memory, his eyes recalling the specifics of such a horrific encounter.

"What happened?" asked Kaidan.

"We found a liver, that belonged to a Turian that was very alive and convinced that he had never lost an organ."

"And then?" Shepard asked, leaning against a bulkhead and crossing his arms.

"Well it turned out this guy had undergone some serious surgeries lately. Some incisions old, some fresh, as in a couple of days. I ordered a complete medical search."

Both Shepard and Kaidan leaned in closer, their eyes focused on Garrus as he spoke.

"He had organs growing inside of him, extra ones. It seemed he had been employed by Dr. Saleon, so we started interviewing other former employees. Sure enough, we found each employee participated in this little scheme, growing cloned organs inside of themselves for money. He paid them a small cut, dirt compared to what he was getting, and if they didn't grow wrong he just left them in. We found hundreds of incisions, organs growing here and there, not even time for the scars to heal."

"Did you track down Dr. Saleon?"

"Yeah. We found one of his labs and busted in. It was clean, no equipment, no cloning machinery, nothing. He was long gone by then, heading to the Citadel shuttles, but he left something, some sort of trap. It activated, releasing a nerve gas. I ducked out of the facility, but the other guys inhaled too much. Some of them died instantly, falling where they laid, others hung on only to die later in the hospital," Garrus said, clenching his talons uncontrollably.

"What does that have to do with Dr. Heart?" asked Kaidan.

"Don't you get it?! He is Dr. Saleon! That bastard hasn't changed since the day he managed to get off the Citadel by holding hostages on his ship! I don't know how he got the records changed, but that's the same damn ship I saw fly away a year ago!" Garrus snapped, his foot slamming down onto the metal floor.

"Ok, ok, I get it…" Kaidan pleaded, raising his hands in innocence.

"Anyway, we have to shoot it down! He can't be allowed to live, not for all the pain he's caused!" Garrus shouted.

"That's for me to decide, Garrus," Shepard stated.

"What? Shepard, this man grew body parts **inside **of people. He used them as living test tubes, Shepard."

"Which means we need to take him into custody and let the law decide his fate."

"He doesn't deserve to be treated like a common criminal," Garrus sneered.

"The laws are in place for a reason, Garrus," Shepard answered.

"You're a Spectre! You don't have to follow orders!" Garrus complained.

"But you do. You agreed to work for me and follow my orders. It's my ship, and it's my crew. I make the decisions here, Garrus," Shepard said firmly.

Garrus was speechless. Everything he'd seen Shepard done had almost no second thought or consideration. Shepard was a man of action, he didn't have time for rules, he just got the job done no matter what method it took.

"You, how can you say that?! After everything you've said, the bending of rules, the cutting of red tape, everything! Why now?! Why him?!" Garrus shouted, pointing a finger at Shepard aggressively.

Shepard uncrossed his legs, meeting Garrus' aggressive stance.

"Why is this so important, Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"He's a murderer. A criminal. A twisted, pathetic sociopath without morals, without conscience, without anything that makes a person good!" Garrus said through clenched teeth.

"What makes me or you any different?" Shepard asked, his demeanor cool in contrast to Garrus' erupting rage.

"Shepard, we're being hailed," Joker said over the Comm link.

Shepard looked from Garrus to his Omni tool from where Joker's voice came from.

"Sure, I'll take it in the Comm Room."

* * *

Shepard stood in the center of the Comm Room, flanked to his right by Kaidan. They stood facing the large screen of the Comm Room awaiting connection.

Finally the screen came on, the view from a vid pointing at a Salarian.

"Hello, this is the SSV Normandy contacting the MSV Fedele," Shepard said plainly.

"Y-yes, this is the Fedele," the Salarian stuttered.

"We received a distress call from your ship recently," Shepard began.

"Ah, oh, yes, it must have been a malfunction, some sort of mechanical failure, or a VI glitch. I'm very sorry," the Salarian apologized.

Shepard cocked his head. "So you do not need assistance?"

"No, w-we do not need help at this time, thank you," the Salarian said.

"Well, now that I have you on the line, I'd like to ask you something. Your ship is registered as a medical supply vessel, yet you have no listed cargo. Why is that?" Shepard asked.

"Oh, that, well where do I begin? Ah, I do carry medical supplies, but I don't have anything onboard now."

"So you sold off your cargo?" Shepard predicted.

"Yes, ex-exactly."

"Where?" Shepard asked.

The Salarian's tone changed, his mind scrambling for information. Shepard could see the holes in his story, the lies in his words, the falsehood that he portrayed.

"I, I made a trip to various planets, I don't really remember them all…"

"Well I can't ask you to remember every port you stopped at," said Shepard, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just asking that because you have no registered purchases or transactions on record. Anyway, I'm gonna have to come aboard your vessel to take a look at your distress signal VI."

"Wha? I, umm, that would be bad, please, there's no reason to come aboard really," the Salarian said.

"I have to, Alliance regulations clearly state etiquette of false distress signals and any faulty safety VI's."

"I-I never heard of this rule…" the Salarian protested weakly.

"It's a new program called the EFDS. The higher ups have been making a big deal over safety rules and equipment. Don't worry though; I'll be out of your hair before you know it."

"B-but I don't have any hair," the Salarian said before Shepard cut him off.

As Shepard shut off the screen, Kaidan turned and gave him a weird look.

"'Etiquette of False Distress Signals'?"

"Hey, when people lie, they forget what the truth is really like. Let's go over there and see what's going on with this guy," Shepard said as they walked out of the Comm Room. Garrus stood at the door, waiting for them.

"I'm coming too," said Garrus.

"Just couldn't stay away, huh?" asked Shepard.

"It started with me, it was my investigation, it should be me to finish the job," Garrus said.

Shepard was still for a moment, deciding.

"Fine. You come, but you stay in line, Vakarian. Suit up," Shepard commanded.

Garrus grunted in response.

* * *

"How much time does he have?" Garrus asked the doctor.

The doctor avoided eye contact, instead electing to look at the wall to the side of him.

"…Not much, I'm afraid. The treatment isn't going as smoothly as it should. His condition is worsening. I think, I think it will happen soon," he answered finally.

A Turian fist slammed into the metal wall of the hospital. Garrus' talons were clenched hard enough to break bones; the intention in the wall from his fist was a testament to his rage.

"Damn him! That bastard doesn't deserve to live, much less escape!" Garrus shouted at the wall, clenching his eyes shut.

Chief Pallion laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, Garrus. You father shouldn't see you like this."

Garrus turned, his breathing deep and long, until finally the tension in his body subsided.

"Your right. Let's go see him."

They walked into the hospital room where a Turian man laid. He had an oxygen mask over his face, IV inserted into his arm, eyes barely having the strength to open as they entered.

_He's so slender and frail. Spirits, I've never seen him look so weak before, _Garrus thought.

"Hello dad," he said reluctantly with a faux smile on his face.

The man looked over to where Garrus stood, as if he barely recognized him.

"H-hello son," he whispered.

"The Chief is here too," Garrus said, awkwardly pointing back to where the Chief stood in a stone grimace.

"Hello," he managed to say.

The chief made a hushed gesture in return, mostly because of the silent atmosphere, which allowed the sound of the repertory equipment to be heard. It breathed in and breathed out, this artificial lung, its elegant machinery pumping the over oxygenized air from its tank to the dried up husk of a man that now laid in the hospital bed. Garrus wanted to keep talking, to say something, but he couldn't think of anything worth talking about. He couldn't take his mind off what burned in his heart, making a hole so deep in him that it made him feel empty inside. The ever growing vacancy in his heart was interrupted by his father's voice.

"S-son," he whispered, reaching a hand out for Garrus.

Garrus knelt next to the bed where his father lay, taking the hand into his, and leaning in close to hear him.

"What is it?" he asked his father.

"Stay good," his father whispered, clutching his hand slightly harder before releasing it. He smiled, ever so slightly, a fond and nostalgic grin.

Garrus nodded vigorously.

"I will, Dad," he answered.

"P-Pallin," Garrus' father whispered.

The chief walked around to the side of the bed. Garrus' father leaned closer,

"My gun, Justice, give it to my boy, when the time is right," he whispered too softly for Garrus to hear.

The chief nodded in confirmation, and the two men took their leave.

"It was strange seeing him like that. He was always so big to me," Garrus mused.

"He seemed like that to me too. Your father was a tough guy," the chief said.

Garrus nodded, clenching his hand up.

"Yeah, he was."

* * *

The three men took a shuttle from the Normandy to the M\SV Fedele. There was an awkward silence, mostly brought on by Garrus' presence. Shepard wasn't sure what brought on Garrus' reaction to the appearance of Dr. Saleon, but he could guess. _It was his case, but the perpetrator got away. That might make any cop mad. But does that justify murder?_

He checked the condition of the gun at his hip, finding it nominal, and then looked over to where Garrus stood.

Garrus had a strangely relaxed posture, considering his recent actions. He fiddled with his pistol, a large cobalt blue metallic firearm that Shepard had to admit looked like a stunning weapon to carry. It looked like it packed a punch hard enough to pierce through shielding and armor, and then shred through flesh and bone. Shepard could see why Garrus was seeing to it; he wanted to use it to kill Saleon.

"That's a nice gun," Shepard thought out loud.

Garrus snapped one of the mechanisms closed, clicking it back into place.

"It was my father's. He got it as a wedding gift when he married my mother. He used it during his entire career as a C-Sec officer."

"He must've blown a couple of heads off," Shepard guessed.

"Yeah," Garrus said, nodding in solemn agreement.

"Commander, we've reached the MSV Fedele," said Kaidan, sitting in the driver's seat of the shuttle.

"Perfect. Joker, have you lined up the shot?" Shepard asked.

"Affirmative Commander. Firing algorithms optimized, position vectors adjusted. Awaiting your command," Joker answered over the Comm Link.

"Just know that if we don't report back, Pressley has the deck," Shepard stated as he strapped on his helmet.

"Yes sir," Joker said.

* * *

The shuttle doors opened, the three men walking out into the inside of the Fedele. Shepard took a wide glance of the surrounding area.

"Sure is dirty," Kaidan mused.

"Believe me, the dirtiest thing here hasn't even reared his ugly head," Garrus stated grimly.

"Well, that's why we brought guns," Shepard chuckled, drawing his pistol. Garrus and Kaidan followed in suit. They made their way across the messy harbor to a door leading to the ship's inner compartments. Shepard attempted to open the door, but it remained closed.

"Locked," Shepard said.

"Must be Saleon's doing. Here, I've got it," Garrus said, kneeling down to fiddle with the lock using his Omni Tool.

Kaidan took a step back, looking around the harbor at the miscellaneous chunks of trash. Something moved, twitched, catching his eye. Looking back at Shepard and Garrus who were fully concentrated on opening the door, he made his way over to the object in question.

As he approached and the thing came into clear view, his face dropped. He flinched, clutching his lower body in pain, his stomach thrashing against his other organs. He held back the urge to vomit, the acidic taste filling his mouth and nose, flooding his mind with the nauseous smell. He swallowed what vomit had managed to creep up his throat, venturing another glance.

Kaidan's eyes made their way to the thing reluctantly, but once they reached it, they were frozen to the horrifying sight. What he saw was what could have been a man, but now it was a dried husk. His body was cut open, autopsy style, but this man wasn't exactly dead. His organs were in plain view, his heart and lungs bulging and clenching feebly. The thin balloon like skin of his lungs were dry, not meant for the exposed air. Devoid of moisture and now calloused, each time he breathed in and out, the skin would crack and tear; they were brittle and constantly being pulled apart.

Kaidan's eyes went blood shot, his heart beating against his chest like a chained beast. His gaze went down the man's chest to where his lower organs should've been. Instead, there was nothing, no stomach, no liver, no kidneys, not a single extra organ, only the tubes and veins that should've connected to them, now severed and leaking fluid all in the cavity of his stomach.

"Wha…" Kaidan's mouth said, moving on its own accord. He stepped back in horror, away from something that he viewed as impossibly horrifying.

The man heard him, finally taking notice of his presence. He inhaled deeply, the skin on his lungs chafing as he did.

"…Kill…Me…" the man rattled, his voice like that of a skeleton's.

Kaidan looked at the man's face, his eyes now the only part of him seeming to have any life at all. He stared in the tortured pupils of the decrepit man, the possibly once beautiful brown eyes now scarred with agony. He looked down at his hip, the gun holstered there like always. Kaidan drew it slowly, pulling it from the holster carefully. He aimed it at the man's head, holding it still with both hands.

**Bang.**

Kaidan fired, drilling a tiny hole into the man's forehead, but exploding the flesh behind it into a gory mess. The head rolled to the side, showing a large gape in the back of the body's head. The chapped lungs stopped their evitable breathing. Kaidan let out a sigh of relief.

"What the hell was that, Alenko?" Shepard asked angrily, approaching Kaidan with cross gait.

"You don't want to know," Kaidan answered solemnly.

"What do you mean I don't want to-oh God what the hell is that!?"

Shepard saw what was left of the man in the middle of his sentence, no longer angry apparently.

"I told you, you don't want to know," Kaidan repeated.

"You're right. Let's go, Garrus almost has the lock," said Shepard, leading Kaidan away with an arm over his shoulder. Shepard took one last look at the gore behind him, quickly turning his head back towards the door.

"What the hell is that?!"

Across the metal floor, obscured by the murky, humid air, was a figure. It stirred, the skinny, beige skinned creature rose from its position in a crouch. Its skin was thin and malnourished, like ugly skin of a burn victim. The gender could not be determined, the creature was much too scrawny. The thing turned and looked at the three men, its eyes small and beady. Its arms unfolded, revealing long claw like fingers, letting out a sound that was half moan and half squeal. It made the blood run cold and the muscle tense.

"Shoot first, ask questions later!" Shepard shouted.

The thing lunged at the three, catching a bullet in its shoulder, then torso, and then finally in its head, leaking out green ooze.

The three breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ok, I retract my previous inquiry on what that was," Kaidan said.

"For once, I'm really not that hungry," Shepard added, clutching his stomach.

"This is why we should've blown the ship up in the first place," Garrus stated.

A blood curling sound of bones and cartilage moving and bending filled the air. The three looked around the dark and murky room, seeing hazy figures in the distance of the vast facility.

All around them, they heard the same moan from several different directions. Each man turned to face a direction, putting their backs together and forming a circle of gun fire.

"Keep calm, shoot the closest ones first, watch your overheat levels, and keep an eye on your peripherals," Shepard said, raising his pistol firmly.

Kaidan and Garrus both nodded.

"Three, Two, One."

Garrus opened the door; all three men rushed out, Shepard taking the middle with his shotgun, Garrus and Kaidan flanking him.

"This place is quiet. Too quiet," said Shepard.

"The quiet before the storm," Kaidan added.

"This ship isn't that big, why haven't we crossed paths with anyone else?" Garrus asked.

Shepard looked over at a door that seemed to be malfunctioning. The lights around it blinked on and off, the door opening and closing repeatedly, the dynamic components of the door out of unison. A trail of blood drew a line across the floor to the door.

"Maybe this is where they are," Shepard said, making his way to the door.

Shepard approached the door as it went haywire, using his Omni Tool to shut it down. He then manually pushed the doors open wide enough for himself and his team mates to enter. The door lead to a small kitchen area with a couple of tables now turned over on their side. Shepard heard a sound; a faint chewing sound came to his ears. He turned to his companions, silently telling them to ready their weapons, as he knocked on the side of the metal wall, making a distinct knocking sound.

The chewing stopped, almost freezing solid. After that, a form leapt out from behind an overturned table with a feral growl. Before Shepard was a girl, squatted down in a four legged stance, her clothes once white, but stained with dirt and dried blood. Her body was skinny, bulimic almost, but with food smeared all over her mouth. Her nails were long and sharp; she held them in front of her like the claws of a tiger. Her face was pulled into a snarl, her teeth bared, her hair messy and wild, her pupils dilated.

Shepard recognized that look, the way her body was tensed, the feral look in her eyes. He lowered his gun, holstering it momentarily. He put his hands up, clearly visible to the girl.

"Shepard, what the hell are you doing?!" Kaidan asked.

"What I have to," Shepard answered.

"This could be a trap. She could be crazy, or have a bomb in his chest or something," Garrus warned.

"He's a doctor, not a pyromaniac. He doesn't know how to make bombs," Shepard said, reaching slowly into his pocket. The girl tensed, growling slightly, her eyes fixed on Shepard's hand. He slowly removed something, a tube of nutrient paste he was saving for later, holding it out for the girl to see. He dropped it and took a step back, giving her room.

The girl was suspicious, looking first at Shepard, then the tube, then Garrus, Kaidan, back to Shepard, and then finally at the tube. She cautiously poked it with her fingernail, flinching back quickly. She seemed to decide it was safe, opening the tube, sucking the paste out it vigorously.

"See? All she need was something to eat," Shepard said.

"That doesn't mean that she wasn't gonna try to kill us," said Garrus.

"When you're hungry enough, you'll try to kill everyone you meet. It's just natural," Shepard stated.

* * *

After searching through most of the entire ship, they found what seemed to be where Dr. Saleon was hiding. Garrus kneeled down beside the door once more.

"Does he really expect that locking all the doors would keep us out? What does he think the police train for?" Kaidan asked.

"I don't think he has a very realistic perspective of the police, or anything in general for that matter," Garrus suggested.

"Hmm, what does make a man start cloning organs in people's bodies for profit?" Shepard asked, scratching the top of the girl's head. She leaned into his hand, enjoying it very much apparently. The girl was about fourteen years of age, though it seemed she had been on the ship for a very long time. She was a mute, whether from the trauma she endured or a problem with her brain, she spoke no recognizable language that Shepard or his translator could understand. She did, however, seem to have taken a liking to Shepard. _Maybe it was from the food I gave her, or maybe just the fact that I was someone who would give her food, _Shepard thought.

Garrus unlocked the door, but didn't open it. Kaidan was confused, then reached to open the door, only for Garrus to slap his hand away.

"Wait, put on your helmets, I don't want a repeat of last time," Garrus said.

"That's a good idea. I don't want to lose anyone if I can help it, not even this one," Shepard said, placing a kiss on the top of the girl's head. She squealed in delight, her eyes sparkling with enjoyment.

"Now stay here, ok?" Shepard said before putting on his helmet.

The girl looked at him strangely, clearly confused.

"We're going in there," he pointed at the door behind him. "You stay here," he pointed at the ground they stood on. "Ok?"

The girl's face turned into the most remorseful expression one person could give another person.

Shepard sighed.

"Here, take this," Shepard said, removing another tube of paste from his personal stash. "It's barbecue flavored. But you have to stay here, ok?"

The girl nodded, snatching the tube quickly and slurping the contents down her throat happily.

"How many of those things do you have?" Kaidan asked.

"Now? Only three left," Shepard sighed.

"Can we get back to business here? We're kind of dealing with a criminal who has killed several people and specializes in mutating the DNA in people's bodies, so it's kind of a big deal," Garrus remarked sarcastically.

"No sweat, Blue," said Kaidan.

"'Blue'?" Garrus asked.

"It fits," Kaidan answered.

"I'll take point," Shepard said.

Shepard opened the door, the three men rushing in quickly. They assessed the room, finding several food supplies, a cot, and a very scared Salarian.

"Oh thank God you're here! I was in here for days, hiding out from those _things,_" the Salarian said.

"Is that him?" Shepard asked Garrus.

"Oh yeah," Garrus answered.

"Well then, Dr. Heart, I think you have some explaining to do," said Shepard.

"W-what about?" Saleon asked.

"Oh, I don't know, how about the fact you're not a medical supply ship. Or the adolescent human girl that was found starving in the kitchen. Or the weird vampire zombie looking things that inhabited your cargo bay. Or about how you're actual name is Dr. Saleon," Shepard sneered.

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Dr. Heart, it says so on the registration of my ship," Saleon answered.

Garrus took a step forward, his voice cold and spiteful. "I remember you. You may not remember me, but I remember you. I was one of the men on your case at C-Sec. Along with many other men. Including my father. When you left your lab, you left something, a little surprise that cost five good men their lives. And I had to watch my father get weaker every day until he died in a hospital bed. And then I watched you get away. So don't think I don't have the image of your face burned into my head, you twisted son of a bitch."

"In any case, you're under arrest," said Shepard.

Dr. Saleon was silent, his large eyes unmoving from the tile of the floor. He said nothing.

"He shouldn't go to jail, Shepard. He should die. Monsters like this don't get a chance at redemption," Garrus objected angrily.

"That's not your choice to make, Garrus," Shepard stated.

"Then who's is it?!" Garrus shouted.

"I'm not going to jail," said Saleon calmly.

The two men stopped arguing to look at Saleon. He had the strangest look on his face, so much that even past the species barrier of facial communication, they could tell that it wasn't good.

**"I'm not going to jail!"** Saleon shouted.

He reached to his side with his left hand, grabbing something and attempting to throw it.

Shepard fired of a shot from his pistol. The round went into Saleon's elbow, splitting through the soft joint and muscle, severing it completely. The arm came off, hitting the wall with a splat, the green goo staining the white walls.

"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIII!" Saleon screamed, clutching his arm in pain. He fell to his knees, cradling his wound with his arm and legs.

"What's it going to be, Dr.? Jail or death?" Shepard asked, keeping his gun fixed on Saleon.

Saleon looked up; his eyes stretched larger even by Salarian standards, foam building slightly at the side of his mouth. He rose, his legs somehow lifting him up and propelling him forward at the three men.

Shepard shot again, this time hitting Saleon in the face, splitting his head open like a watermelon that was filled with bright green goo.

Shepard looked down at the neon green gory mess, spread all over the floor and wall, the dismembered corpse of the doctor strewn across the room. He nodded his head slightly, content with the results.

"Well I guess that's that."

* * *

Garrus stood outside of the Med Bay, looking through the glass window at Chakwas as she assessed the condition of the girl they found on the Fedele.

"Didn't think your revenge would save anyone, did it?"

Garrus turned to find Shepard walking up to him, taking a stance parallel to the Med Bay window along with Garrus.

"No, no I didn't," Garrus confessed. He had been so infatuated with the idea of revenge that the thought hadn't occurred to him that someone might've needed his help.

"See what happens when you don't let your emotions get the best of you?" Shepard asked, nudging Garrus with his elbow.

Garrus was silent, pondering the recent events deeply. After a while, he posed a question.

"Shepard, earlier, you said that it wasn't my choice for Saleon to die. What did you mean by that?"

Shepard kept his eyes on the girl as Chakwas cleaned several of her wounds, the cuts and scars weren't life threatening but were deeply infected.

"I meant that there was only one man that could decide Saleon's fate and it wasn't you," Shepard answered.

"So then who? You?" Garrus asked.

Shepard chuckled slightly. "No, no it wasn't me who decided his fate. It was Saleon. He made the decision whether he lived or died. He couldn't bear the thought of redeeming himself, so he chose death. It was his decision. I was just a force in nature that happened to pull the trigger."

"So if he had confessed and apologized, then let you arrest him, you would've taken him to jail?" Garrus asked.

Shepard smirked sideways to Garrus. "I'm not that clean cut. I admit, I gave him the choice, but if the apology wasn't sincere enough to convince me he truly wanted to atone, I'd have shot him dead. But that would've been my choice, and I choose to live like that."

"Isn't that going against your own advice?" Garrus asked.

"You're a cop, Garrus. Not a murderer, not a mercenary, not a butcher, a cop. You protect the weak and the innocent. You fight for Justice, that's your way. With that in mind, it's true that Saleon didn't deserve the chance to repent, but that doesn't mean you should sink to his level by killing him. He's the murderer, not you. Don't let your emotions compromise who you are. If you do, you'll end up just like Saleon. And then you're father's death would be for nothing," Shepard explained, watching the young girl come out from behind a curtain, clean and dressed in fresh clothes, her wounds treated and her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Garrus meditated on Shepard's words as Chakwas came out of the med bay with the girl.

"Hello there Commander," Chakwas greeted, her arm circling around the waist of the girl, leading her. The girl seemed to have taken a much more reserved disposition. Shepard surmised that once she was taken out such a hostile environment, given good food and fresh clothes, she reverted back to her former manner.

"Hey there, Doc. How's our favorite patient doing?" Shepard asked.

"How about she tells you herself?" Chakwas suggested. She nudged the girl forward towards Shepard. She complied, though reluctantly, taking a couple of steps forward.

She pointed a finger at herself. "Me, Susan," she said, introducing herself.

Shepard mimicked the act, pointing a thumb back at himself as well. "Shepard," he said simply.

Susan smiled, her teeth whiter than before now that they were cleaned properly. Without warning, she threw her arms around Shepard, jumping up to wrap her skinny legs around his torso and waist. She embraced him tightly, burying her face into the side of Shepard's neck. Shepard's arms came up to return her embrace, which seemed to quickly morph into a cross between a bear hug and a wrestling move of some sort.

"She seems fine. So what's going to happen to her now?" Shepard asked Chakwas.

"Well, we'll have to find where her family is, if she has any," Chakwas said.

"Perhaps I could help her do that. I think I might owe her that much," said Garrus.

Shepard smiled to Garrus, giving a slight nod.

* * *

**To Airam, because William is a way better name than Liam.**


	21. Chapter 21: Haunting Pasts

**Bill Here! Been a while since my last update, been wrapped up in summer school. My final is this Monday, so I've been writing this to avoid studying. Recently finished The Last Of Us, and managed to get over the sadness. Pretty good game, but a perfect story line. *Sigh* I guess I'll have to go back to real life now. Anyway, this chapter was kind thrown together, tell me if something doesn't make sense. Leave me a review about what you thought, and as always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Kaidan ran, his breath erratic and unstable. His feet were blur, going over rocks and gravel in a flash as he sprinted like mad. He dared not look back.

"**Alenko! Get back here this instant!**" boomed a voice, angry and omnificent.

Kaidan ran faster, trying to escape the voice, yet his speed did not increase. He willed his feet forward, but his body moved slower over the terrain, until his feet moved uselessly over the ground as he stood in one place. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he lunged, trying to break free from whatever barrier prevented him from moving.

"**I will have your head!**" the voice roared. Kaidan turned back to view in horror at the sight of Commander Vyrnnus, the Turian in charge of BAaT, now ten meters tall. His long legs strode up to Kaidan quickly, each step making a deafening stomp that shook the earth around Kaidan.

"**You're coming with me, human!**" shouted Vyrnnus, scooping Kaidan up in a giant hand. He squeezed Kaidan in his sharp talons, forcing the out breath of his lungs.

Kaidan looked around desperately, finding Vyrnnus' other hand holding a human girl. He pulled an arm out of Vyrnnus' inhuman grip, reaching over her in vain.

"Rahna!" Kaidan shouted, his arm outstretched, but too far to reach her.

Vyrnnus chuckled, as he held Rahna's small body between two pointy fingers by her legs, dangling her like a fish.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Kaidan shouted, tears welling up in the side of his eyes.

Vyrnnus smiled, his mouth a mix of sadism and malice.

"**Alright,**" he answered, his mandibles spreading apart as he opened his mouth.

Kaidan screamed right before Vyrnnus released his talons, letting Rahna drop into Vyrnnus' mouth and down his throat. She screamed, muffled but still audible even in Vyrnnus' throat.

Kaidan clenched everything, his arms, his legs, his teeth. His entire body clenched together, the rage in his soul lighting a fire in his belly. Kaidan exploded, his body ripping Vyrnnus' giant grip open. Vyrnnus stumbled back in shock.

Kaidan felt the energy surge through him, the fear, the hate, the rage he felt in his body. He flew, entering through Vyrnnus' chest and out the other side in an explosion of gore.

Kaidan turned to look back at Vyrnnus, a feeling of smug superiority filling his psyche. It was quickly quenched, as Kaidan's eyes welled up once more at the sight before him.

Where Vyrnnus had fallen back, his abdomen ruptured, Rahna now laid. She struggled to speak, her hand reaching out frailly as it trembled. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused, a line of blood dripping from the side of her open mouth, letting out a weak moan. A large amount of flesh was removed from her stomach, revealing her organs.

Kaidan's eyes bulged at the horror.

Inside her cavity, Kaidan could see Rahna's organs. His eyes moved directly to the only visible moving organ: her lungs.

He watched Rahna's lungs expand and contract, working tirelessly as the rest of her body gave up. He watched as Rahna died, her eyes rolling in the back of her head, her outstretched arm receding back to the ground, but her lungs continued to breath. Her body decomposed, the flesh falling off and rotting away, leaving only brittle skeleton, but her lungs beat so heavily that Kaidan could hear them. As the remains of Rahna became nothing but dust, the lungs beat heavily, each new breath like the beat of a drum.

Kaidan's vision warped, his eyes losing their ability to make sense of anything in front of them, the surrounding terrain splitting apart like the rapture. Kaidan's vision stayed fixed on the lungs, now the only thing left of Rahna, and of Vyrnnus as well, beating angrily at Kaidan, defying him.

The lungs grew, with each beat they expanded exponentially, quickly getting bigger than Kaidan. They grew and grew and grew, until Kaidan could no longer comprehend their size and turned to run, finding his once plentiful energy completely drained.

The last thing Kaidan saw was the tracheal tube of the lungs, now large enough for him to fit through, as the lungs inhaled a long and large breath, sucking Kaidan in with it.

* * *

Kaidan woke up with a jump. The first thing he noticed that he was in a cold sweat, the sheets around him all slightly moist. The second thing he noticed as that he was, for once, alone in bed. _That never happens, _he thought.

Kaidan rolled off of his bunk, his body groaning with soreness as he willed it to move to the bathroom. He grabbed the handle of the facet clumsily, letting loose a torrent of cold water into his hands. He quickly splashed the cold, sobering water into his face, rubbing it into his eyes and through his hair.

_What the hell was that? _Kaidan asked himself, trying to sober himself up to anchor him to reality.

Kaidan wiped the water off his face, giving the mirror a long hard stare. What looked back at him was a tired eyed man, experienced with trials, but not years, bearing neither wisdom, nor innocence. He rubbed cold water once more on his face before leaving to dawn his combat gear.

* * *

"Kaidan, you look like you got used as a tire iron in an interrogation," Shepard stated.

"Are humans supposed to be that pale?" asked Garrus.

Kaidan only groaned in response. Ashley walked closer to assess him.

"Seriously, Jedi, you look like green around the gills," Ashley said, her tone dripping with concern.

Garrus perked up. "Humans have gills?" he asked.

Shepard waved his hand dismissively.

"That's not important right now. What is important is this," Shepard said, opening up a hologram of a planet. The view zoomed in to the surface of the planet, to a colony settlement.

Shepard pointed a finger at the building in the very middle. "This settlement here on Presrop is what's important. We got a transmission from Admiral Hackett, a request to check this out for him. Alliance intelligence shows that this is the base of operations of a former Alliance officer, Major Kyle."

The hologram brought up a picture of man in uniform, a dark skinned human with a short military cut hair, his salute stern.

"He looks fierce," Garrus mused.

"More than that. He served during the battle of Torfan," Shepard answered.

"Oh, wow," Ashley said in amazement.

"Something I should know?" Garrus asked. Ashley turned to explain.

"The battle of Torfan was a response to the Skylian Blitz. It was a brutal massacre with heavy casualties on both sides," Ashley explained.

Shepard nodded. "Which is why this is such a sensitive topic. Major Kyle's service was phenomenal, but he couldn't cope with the loss of so many of his men. He was honorably discharged after a psychiatric evaluation determined he was no longer fit for duty. Recently, he resurfaced, leading a cult of biotics."

"Biotics?" Kaidan's attention perked up at the word.

"Oh, now you're awake?" Shepard chuckled. "Yeah, biotics. They refer to him as 'Father Kyle', and while he's not a biotic himself, he's taken a stance against the Alliance, labeling them as the cause of all the biotics' problems. So far, two men sent in to calm Kyle down have gone missing. Hackett suspects foil play, and I agree with him."

"Does this have anything to do with Saren?" Ashley asked.

"Probably not," Shepard answered.

"Sooo, then why are we doing it?" Ashley asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you; we're on zero leads at this point. Whether we find anything about Saren there or not is up to pure luck. One mission is as good as another, so we just keep fishing for clues," Shepard answered.

"Sometimes an investigation goes dry. All we can do is keep our eyes open," Garrus commented with a shrug.

"Good enough for me," Kaidan answered, taking a closer look at the holographic map.

"Right, so we'll descend to the planet's surface, attempt to talk Major Kyle down from further violence and try to get him the help he needs," Shepard explained.

"And if that doesn't work?" Ashley asked.

Shepard sighed. "In the event that Major Kyle doesn't agree to come with us, we will be forced to take him into custody."

"So, business as usual."

* * *

Shepard sat on the bench of the shuttle, Kaidan and Ashley sitting across from him. Garrus flew the shuttle down to the Presrop's surface, the dark grey outcrop coated with a rocky terrain.

"When we get to the planet's surface, I want you two flanking me. Garrus, if you don't mind, I'd rather have you stay with the shuttle," Shepard spoke over the sound of the shuttle's engines.

"What's a matter, my looks rubbing off or something?" Garrus asked jokingly.

"Actually it's your good looks I'm worried about. Some of these guys aren't exactly stable, if you know what I mean. Some could be from Torfan, some from the First contact war, others from who knows where. They might have extenuating bias towards any alien kind. I don't want them to get the wrong idea about our intentions," Shepard explained.

"And what exactly are our intentions?" Kaidan asked.

"Just to talk. If we can solve this with words, I wouldn't mind that at all," Shepard answered.

"What if they don't want to talk? We'll be stuck in the middle of a bunch of biotic cultists with our pants down," complained Ashley.

"Well, I guess we'll have to be, extremely persuasive," Shepard said with a boyish grin.

Kaidan saw a familiar look on Shepard's face. _He's got something up his sleeve,_ Kaidan thought.

* * *

The shuttle landed on the planet's surface, the doors opening to let out the human trio.

Kaidan jumped out of the shuttle, his combat boots landing on the surface with a heavy thud. _This ground is weak, _he thought to himself, feeling the displacement in the ground where his foot put pressure.

Ashley followed, almost losing her footing with her landing. Kaidan grabbed her shoulder, stabilizing her.

"Thanks," Ashley regarded.

Kaidan nodded in response.

"Let's move, people," Shepard ordered. They made their way to the settlement, sure to compensate for the soft terrain underneath.

They reached what seemed to be the entrance of the main structure. Before Shepard could knock or otherwise, a voice blared from a speaker next to the door.

"Why have you come to our community?" the speaker beckoned.

Shepard looked back at Kaidan and Ashley in amusement before addressing the speaker.

"I've come to talk to Major Kyle," Shepard stated.

"_Father _Kyle is not to be disturbed by common ilk such as yourself," the speaker said condescendingly.

"Even by an old war buddy from Torfan?" Shepard asked with a smirk.

The voice was quiet for a moment. Then the door opened, letting Shepard and company to enter the facility. A young boy with a shaved head stood in the doorway, beckoning them respectfully.

"Please excuse my rudeness, I was not aware Father Kyle would be expecting, guests," the boy said, bowing his head. He gestured inside with an outstretched arm. "If you would follow me."

The boy lead them through the facility, which looked more and more like a make shift throne room. Shepard was instantly reminded of his former home in the slums. _A false king leading a group of naïve children, sounds familiar, _Shepard thought. He stifled a grimace as they reached what seemed to be where Kyle was.

"Who are these, _people, _you've brought before me, Ralph?" asked the figure seated in an over ordained chair.

"They said that they were former comrades of yours, father," the young boy said with a bow.

The man leaned forward, squinting. He was a dark skinned man, looked only fifty years old, but his worn, haggard face showed that it was an eventful half of a century. Shepard had seen that face before, worn by men he had seen in medical tents with only light wounds, men who went back home to their families while their comrades were left behind, men honorably discharged from duty because they could no longer cope. Shepard had seen that look in the mirror before, but nowhere near this level.

Never as bad as this.

"Ah yes, I remember your face, comrade. Come, let us reacquaint ourselves over a drink," the man said, his mouth attempting to feign warm hospitality, but his words saturated with a cold tone.

"Don't mind if I do," answered Shepard.

Major Kyle nodded to door nearby, the three comrades joining him in a private room as he closed the door behind them.

The private room was just that. The small room was only occupied by a table in the center, some chairs around the sides, and a small cabinet in the corner.

Shepard sat at the center of the table, leaning back in a relaxed position, Ashley and Kaidan following suit.

Kyle walked over to cabinet, grabbed a bottle out, and unscrewed it, the action accompanied with the squelching sound of a metal lid on a glass bottle. He carefully filled each of the four glasses with the clear liquid. He finally turned back from the cabinet, bearing drinks. He set each glass down on the table in front of their respective drinker before sitting down across from Shepard.

Kaidan sniffed the edge of the glass, suspicious, but was distracted by Shepard as he took a large gulp of the drink.

"Mmm, what is that, wood alcohol?" Shepard inquired in appreciation.

Kyle grunted in confirmation. "We had a store of the stuff here, just lying around. As if we had any wood to use it with," he mused, taking a sip from his glass.

Kaidan took a sip cautiously, finally letting the liquid reach his lips. The taste wasn't the distilled alcohol he was used to; it was an acidic, trashy drink, that Kaidan was sure would kill him provided he drank enough of it. He stifled a cough, the drink almost going down the wrong pipe just from the shock of the taste.

Shepard and Kyle ignored him. They sat across from each other, casually yet perceptively observing each other. They eyed one another in silence, until it was finally broken.

"I know who you are. You're that young upstart that had the Alliance Brass in such a ruckus years ago. That boy from Elysium, Black something or other," Kyle said.

"Black Dog," Shepard added, keeping his posture unperturbed. Ashley and Kaidan sat anxiously, feeling the tension in the air grow.

"Aren't you Anderson's pet? What are you doing off the leash, 'Black Dog'?"

Shepard smirked at the insult. "I'm not under Anderson anymore. I got promoted."

"Oh? Is the young'n getting all high and mighty now that you went up a rank? Get that officer's rank sewn to your uniform and you think you're bulletproof? Tell me, what measly _title_ did the brass give you?" Kyle mocked, spitting out the word 'title' like a piece of rotten fruit.

"Spectre," Shepard answered casually.

Kyle was silent, and Shepard matched the silence. For a moment, neither man spoke.

"I don't have any quarrel with you, Spectre," Kyle said, losing his tone condescending.

"Neither did the men sent in before me. Now tell me, _Father_, where are they? Or where is most of them? Did they at least have a chance to reason with you before you had them ripped apart?" Shepard asked sarcastically.

"They were spouting lies to my children, speaking blasphemies and weakening their resolve. I couldn't have those men saying such things, not when so many depend on me." Kyle answered.

"Depend on you? Yes, I'm sure they depend on you plenty; after all, they need someone to rule over them, complete with a throne room. Where's your crown? Getting buffed?" Shepard asked condescendingly.

"You don't know what these kids went through! What the Alliance put them through!" shouted Kyle.

"What about what the men and women that serve in the Alliance go through? What they've done to keep innocent people alive? What they do just to keep society going?" Shepard asked.

"I've seen the Alliance before. I've seen its true nature. The Alliance is an ugly beast, bent on exploiting the galaxy and its inhabitants for their own twisted reasons! I've seen it!" Kyle shouted, slamming his hand on the table.

"I've seen it too. Corruption, bureaucracy, cowardice, I've seen it all. Humanity isn't perfect, and neither is the Alliance, that's something I know full well, but it sure as hell is better than the shit you're pulling, I know that for sure," Shepard stated boldly.

"You weren't there on Torfan! You didn't see what I saw! You're just a punk with a scar, a stray bullet that caught your eye! What do you know about death?!" Kyle sneered.

Shepard reached over the table, grabbing Kyle in a deathly choke hold around his collar. Before Kyle could react, Shepard pulled him closer, off his feet, shoving him flat against the table. He shoved his hand deeper into the grip as his right hand reached down to pull out a photo.

"This is Carl Atwood, age 25, son of Jacob and Martha Atwood, KIA." Shepard moved his finger just above the head of the young soldier in the photo. Kyle grunted in confusion.

"This is Simon Merchant, age 32, KIA." Shepard pointed to the wiry man bearing a smirk, tightening the grip around Kyle's neck.

"Argo Strovenaut, age 35, oldest of five, worked as a demolition specialist to provide for his crippled mother and four younger siblings, KIA." Shepard moved his finger over to the broad shouldered giant of a man.

Shepard pointed to the figure of the woman, standing strongly at the center of the photo. "And this, this is Sandra Archer, age 34, married to man named Thomas Archer, father of their two children, Sebastian and Mary Archer, now ages 12 and 10 respectively. They will never see their mother again, if they even remember what she looks like."

Shepard threw Kyle back, out of his grip, across and over the table into his chair, the glasses shattering as he fell to the ground. Shepard walked around the table, his eyes stuck on Major Kyle, glowing like red coals. His voice was hushed, but forceful as he spoke.

"Three days. For three days I experienced hell. For three days I fought with my comrades against impossible odds. We were gonna die, without question, every one of us; I knew that to be true. And you know what? I was fine with that! I was fine, knowing that I would die doing something right with my life, despite all the wrong I've caused! I was fine knowing that I would die with my comrades, the people who accepted me, faults and all. But I didn't. I stayed alive, even after watching every one of them die, I remained. Even though my crew was gone, I was still here, with this scar serving as a memory." Shepard traced his finger methodically across the scarred tissue, going down his brow, lightly over his eyelid and down his cheek to its end.

"Every day I see this scar, and I can't help but to think how much better it would've been to die that day. So don't tell me I don't know what death is."

Kyle sat up from the floor, slightly dazed. He stared at the floor, his vision fixed on the pieces of broken glass.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked miserably, looking up at Shepard. "All my friends are dead. I watched every one of them fall before my very eyes, and each time it happened, a little piece of myself went with them. I, I don't know if I can do anything else."

Shepard sighed. He stepped closer, pulling Kyle upright to his feet.

"What I did on that day wasn't for me, it was for the people I defended. The same goes for you. You and your men fought for something, peace, justice, law, order, salvation, whatever it was, your men died fighting for it, believing in it. Don't do something like this. Don't tarnish their memory."

Kyle looked up at Shepard, tears welling at the side of his eyes, snot audible in his throat.

"Ok."

* * *

The trio walked away from the settlement back to the shuttle where Garrus was waiting.

"Everything go ok in there? I didn't hear any explosions, so it must have," Garrus asked.

"Yeah, everything's a-ok," Shepard answered.

"Where's Kyle?" asked Garrus.

"He asked for some time to talk to his followers. I didn't see the harm in it," Shepard said.

"Do you think that was wise?" asked Garrus.

Shepard shrugged his shoulders. "He's got to explain to his followers that he is leaving. Say his goodbyes, maybe tell them that he lied about the religion, maybe give them advice on how to survive, who knows? It's better than just taking off without a word."

"I don't trust him," Ashley stated, crossing her arms.

"Why not?" Shepard asked.

"Just look at him. He lies to a group of kids, filling their heads with all sorts of nonsense, getting them to fight the Alliance, pretending he's some sort of prophet. It's sick."

"He is sick. That's what PTSD does to you," answered Shepard.

"Kids like that have already gone through enough. Taking advantage of that naivety by giving some lie to believe in, it's just wrong," Kaidan stated solemnly.

The group was silent for a moment.

A loud boom from the direction of the settlement broke the silence. All four soldiers turned in the direction of the explosion.

What had recently been a haphazard but stable settlement for a group of cultist drifters now looked like a broken eggshell with a black mushroom growing out of it. Part of the roof had either collapsed or been blown out, leaving a gaping hole from which thick, black smoke poured out. Through the clouds of smoke, Shepard could see streaks of electric blue light flashing laterally at the base of the smoke cloud.

"What happened?!" Ashley shouted.

"Someone couldn't say goodbye. Come on!" Shepard ordered.

The four rushed into the building.

* * *

Through the smoke and the sound of fighting, Kaidan struggled to see what was happening. From what he could manage to observe, the group of cultist were fighting each other.

He crouched lower to the ground, running over to the side of the room and kneeling down behind a large supply box for cover. He gripped the side of it firmly, trying to get a clear view of what was happening exactly, when something brushed against his hand.

Kaidan jumped, turning to see a young girl laying against the box next to him. Her dirty brown hair contrasted her pale white skin. She had vacant look in her eyes, a tired but pleading look, which confused Kaidan, before he saw the blood dripping off her outstretched hand.

"What happened?" Kaidan asked desperately, gripping her weak hand firmly between both of his.

She said nothing, save for one word.

"…Kyle…" she whispered.

"Kyle? Kyle what? What did he do? What's going on, please tell me!" Kaidan asked expectantly, shaking her shoulders.

The girl's hand went limp, dropping down to the ground. Kaidan reached down to pick it up, when he saw the girl's legs.

Kaidan grimaced at the sight of a pair of legs, clearly the girl's, detached about two meters away. There was a wide trail of blood, which made clear that this girl had crawled over to the box to lean on while she died. He let go of the girl's hand and stood up.

_That stupid son of a bitch, _Kaidan thought as he stomped across the room.

All around the room, cultist fought, throwing up mass effect fields to protect from balls of energy thrown by their opponents. Through the calamity, Kaidan looked like just another opposing cultist.

_I don't have time for these small fries, _Kaidan thought, gritting his teeth. The first cultist he threw across the room didn't even see it coming. The second only had a split second to make peace with his god before his body was rapidly accelerated so suddenly, that it killed him.

"I will destroy you!" shouted a cultist, throwing a bolt of biotic energy at Kaidan.

He swatted it away, his mass effect field bouncing it off at an offset angle. In a blink of an eye, Kaidan flew forward, his hand around the cultist's throat, his grip undeniably firm with malice.

"Where is Kyle?" Kaidan asked through clenched teeth, holding back the urge to squeeze harder.

"Ugh…Observatory…" the cultist answered while fighting for air.

Kaidan turned, squeezing his hand into a fist with a wet crunch, dropping the cultist to the ground. He pulled up the map on his omni tool, finding the layout of the building in the computer system set up by the cultists. Finding a room labeled 'Observatory' he made his way through the building, blood dripping from his fingers.

* * *

"Where the hell is Kaidan?!" Shepard asked as he fired his gun from behind cover.

"I don't know!" Ashley shrugged.

"He's not a little kid, you can't just lose him!" Shepard shouted, throwing a grenade over to a group of cultists.

"He can take care of himself for now! Let's find Kyle and get out of here!" Ashley shouted, ducking to avoid the biotic bolts of energy.

All of the sudden there was a loud boom, the sound of a big amount of biotic energy exploding over the clearing. The trio popped their heads up from cover to see what happened when they laid eyes on one lone figure in blue armor.

"Kaidan!" Ashley exclaimed.

Kaidan didn't turn towards them, nor did he acknowledge their presence. He simply looked up at the high ceiling.

One second he was there, like a spirit roaming a graveyard, the next he was gone.

"Kaidan!" Ashley shouted once more.

"Where the hell did he go?" Garrus asked.

"Up maybe?" answered Shepard as they made their way where Kaidan was standing. Shepard turned to look at the high ceiling of the dome like room, seeing a number of balconies belonging to other floors.

"He could've gone to anyone of those!" Ashley complained.

Another large burst of biotic energy, throwing two cultists off the side of a balcony. One hit the wall of the opposite side with a splat, sliding down and smearing blood in a long crude line like the brush stroke of a preschooler, the other made an arc as he fell, still alive and screaming, hitting the ground with cringe worthy squash.

Shepard grimaced.

"Jesus Christ!" Ashley said, nudging the gory remains of the cultist.

"We'll follow the explosions. Let's move people!" Shepard ordered.

"I have a feeling this going to be messy," Garrus mused.

* * *

Kaidan made his way to the observatory at the top of the building. _That must have been where the roof cracked open. _

He jumped with each step, his biotics powering his stride, lengthening it tenfold. As he rushed down hallways and through rooms, cultist turned to attack him.

They fired their biotic shockwaves, foam built up at the side of their mouths, eyes wild with fury.

_Naïve children, _Kaidan thought. He spun mid jump, making a corkscrew of biotic shielding. It bounced the shockwaves off at wild angles, leaving Kaidan unharmed.

He landed to the ground once more, both hands full of fury. He swung both hands together in a wide arc, meeting in front of him with a loud clap. With it, the entirety of the room, the cultists, supply boxes, corpses and bodies of the dying, came together into one crunch.

Kaidan released his hands, letting the group of objects fall back to the ground. None of the cultists moved from where they fell.

Kaidan turned, satisfied, bringing up his map once more. _Almost there. Almost to him, _Kaidan thought.

He leapt with his feet ablaze with biotic power.

* * *

"What the hell happened in here?!" Shepard asked.

The sight before them was one of chaos and gore. Bodies, objects, even pieces of the walls torn off from their fixtures were gathered together in one pile.

"This is worse than Saleon's ship," mentioned Garrus.

"At least we found survivors there. This place is just a slaughter house," Shepard said morbidly.

"What happened on that ship, anyway? You guys didn't bring me along," Ashley asked.

Shepard looked at one of the corpse's faces. It was frozen in an expression of pure terror. Shepard sighed.

"It was full of test tube born humans, probably cloned. Saleon was a geneticist, so he was most likely tapering with their DNA. His specialty was humans, something about their genetic material being more diverse," Garrus explained.

"Sounds messed up," Ashley commented.

"It was. We fought through an entire army of these cloned **things; **they looked like a cross between a human and a bat like in appearance, they were so hideous and animalistic. They came at us like monsters, no fear, no hesitation. I just kept shooting until there weren't any more sets of their glowing feral eyes, but, even when you brought one down, the others, they didn't take notice."

"Hmm," Ashley answered solemnly.

The trio was silent for a moment, the memory of such terror was left in the air.

"We need to move. Kaidan shouldn't be running around on his own. I don't know what he's doing, but the sooner we find him, the sooner we can wrap this up before the building burns down." Shepard said.

"Right."

* * *

_Finally, _Kaidan thought. He reached a door which was the entrance to the observatory, as indicated by his omni tool's map. He opened the door.

"Get out of the way!" shouted a harsh voice.

"No! I will not let you kill him!" answered a less harsh, but hostile voice.

Kaidan looked up to see two teenage boys standing across from each other, one older than other by two or three years. The other, he recognized as the doorman from their visit before. From the looks of the room, the have been fighting using their biotics, and from the condition of each boy, Kaidan could tell they had been fighting for a while.

"I will kill you, even if you are my brother," warned the older boy, a line of blood dripping from the side of his brow down his cheek.

"Don't you see? Kyle helped us! He gathered us together, taught us to believe in ourselves! We can take down the Alliance together!" answered the younger boy desperately. His left sleeve was torn open, revealing a deep gash starting from his forearm to his bicep.

"He lied to us, used us for his own goals. He's not in it for us! He's in it for himself! He told us all that so that he use us like pawns!" the older boy shouted.

"Blasphemy!" shouted the younger boy. He threw his arm at the older one, hitting him with a biotic push.

The older one guarded, absorbing the energy of the blow with his barrier.

"Don't be stupid! Only an idiot would believe that crap!" the older one shouted back, returning the blow.

The younger boy met the beam of energy head on.

It was clear to Kaidan that young boy was weaker, and eventually he would lose. Just as he predicted, the young boy fell to his knee as the older boy put more power into his biotics.

The young boy desperately tried to keep back the opposing force, but he felt his power slipping. He looked around, finding a shard of broken metal, and in last ditch effort, he lifted it with his biotics. Using the remainder of his strength, he slung the shard of metal into the older boy, piercing the side of his neck. It went quickly through his flesh and out the other side.

The older boy stopped, shocked. The look on his face was one of disbelief, as blood dripped out his mouth. His final words came out as a whisper.

"…But I, I was trying to protect you…"

The older boy fell to his knee, clutching the shard through his neck tenderly.

The young boy stood up, his strength recovered. He threw a final push, sending the older boy across the room.

"I don't need protection," the young boy answered.

Kaidan watched as the young regaled his victory to a figure that lay prone against the wall behind him.

"We're safe now!" the boy cheered as the figure stood up.

"Good, good, come now my young disciple, we must leave this place at once," the figure said, standing up and dusting himself off.

"Of course, Father Kyle, your wish is my command," the young boy answered with a bow.

Kaidan watched the events proceed in shock. Finally, his fingers curled into an angry fist, his eyes bulging with hatred. He felt his skin crawl, his blood began to boil, and his bones screamed in wrath. He stepped forward, having to hold back his anger just to speak.

"Father Kyle," Kaidan whispered, his voice a hiss of fury.

Kyle turned, a shiver racing down his spine, his eyes meeting Kaidan's glare of fury. He froze where he stood.

"What do you want with Father Kyle?! I won't let you take him away!" shouted the boy.

Kaidan waved his arm, throwing the boy against the wall behind him without taking his eyes off of Kyle. He leapt, appearing in front of Kyle in an instant, his left hand in strong grip around Kyle's neck.

"S-spare me!" Kyle begged, as Kaidan raised his fist.

"No," Kaidan answered.

The first blow smashed Kyle's face in, leaving it completely unrecognizable. The second knocked his teeth and jaw out of place. The third, fourth, and fifth blow killed Major Kyle, but Kaidan didn't stop.

He kept at it, each blow beating Kyle's body into mush. The skin on Kaidan's knuckles broke, the bones in his fist were popped in and out of place, but he didn't notice. All he had eyes on was the decrepit body that formerly Major Kyle, and his fist that kept pounding the cavity where his face was deeper and deeper. It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice that he stopped.

"Kaidan!"

From behind Kaidan came a warm voice, two warm arms wrapping around him. He stopped what he was doing, his attention now shifting to the new comfort.

"Rahna," Kaidan answered lucidly.

He turned to find Ashley clinging to his waist. Shepard and Garrus ran up as well, checking the surroundings of the room. Kaidan looked at them, and then back down at the small body of a woman.

"We finally found you! You had me worried, you jerk," Ashley said angrily.

"Worried? About what?" Kaidan asked, bewildered.

"What did you do, Kaidan?" asked Shepard.

Kaidan turned to look at Shepard, who had his eyes on a corpse. Kaidan looked at the corpse strangely; it seemed vaguely familiar to him.

_What happened to his head? _Kaidan wondered.

"What did you do to Major Kyle?" Shepard asked, looking up at Kaidan.

Kaidan was confused. He looked at Shepard, then the corpse, and then finally shrugged. As he did, he caught sight of his hands, and looking down at them; he could see that they were soaked in blood. Kaidan rotated his hands, the blood shined evilly. He moved his fingers, finding that his right hand was almost completely immovable. He looked up in panic.

"I, I don't know," Kaidan answered.

"Well, whatever happened in here, it was a goddamn blood bath. Without his head, we can't be sure, but judging by the clothing of that corpse over there, that must be Major Kyle. Maybe we can take a DNA test or something," Shepard mused.

"No, that was, that was Major Kyle. I, I was here before, well before _this_ happened," Kaidan said, gesturing to the room around him.

Shepard looked at Kaidan strangely. Finally, he nodded his head.

"I guess I'll take your word for it. Let's get out of here. Mission complete."

"If you can call it that," Garrus grimaced.

* * *

Kaidan sat in the infirmary as Chakwas bandaged his hands. He was deep in thought, when Shepard walked into the Medical Bay.

"Kaidan, mind if I talk to you for a second?" he asked.

Kaidan nodded.

"Dr. Chakwas, do you mind giving us some space?" Shepard asked. His tone was grave, devoid of his usual, carefree attitude.

"I was just about to take my lunch break," Chakwas said. She nodded and left the room, leaving Shepard and Kaidan alone.

Shepard looked at the floor for a moment, breathing in, and then finally spoke.

"Kaidan, what happened down there, it, it happens to a lot of people," Shepard began. "It's something that soldiers get, especially after something harsh."

"I, I don't know what happened. I just, I just had to do it," Kaidan struggled to explain.

"I know. I'm here for you if you need me; I just need to know if you're ok." Shepard put a hand on Kaidan's shoulders.

Kaidan looked at his hands, clenching them as best as he could.

"Commander, was it true what you said about your comrades from Elysium? Do you really regret not dying there?"

Shepard nodded.

"How do you still keep it together?"

"It's hard being the one that survived. Sometimes you feel like you don't deserve to be alive. Every pleasure you get from life makes you feel guilty. It took me a while to enjoy food again, even longer for sleep. Other times you just feel left behind, like your comrades abandoned you. You feel lost, empty, like a rock drifting in space. But one day, you find a purpose, a cause, another reason to fight. And when you do, you feel like you understand why you were left alive. You start fighting for what you believed in, what they believed in. You remember why you were doing those things in the first place, and you realize that you have to keep going, no matter what. You remember that it's not about you; it's about the ones that need your help. That's what keeps me going."

Kaidan nodded thoughtfully. Shepard sniffed, satisfied. He stood up.

"In interest of your health, I'm giving you and Chief Williams the night off. Maybe you won't be so damn grumpy if you get laid," Shepard chuckled.

Kaidan looked at Shepard incredulously.

"You knew!?" Kaidan asked in surprise.

Shepard gave him a strange look.

"Of course I did. Why? Was it a secret?" Shepard asked.

"I thought it was," Kaidan stated.

"Well, you guys were really bad at hiding it. I bet Garrus even caught on."

"He did. Man, Ashley is gonna flip when she hears about this."

"Why?"

Kaidan shook his head. "She's worried about Alliance regs, thinks you'll kick her off the ship if you found out."

"Ha! This isn't an Alliance ship, this is my ship. If miss marine wants to sleep with my pouty lieutenant, that's her problem," Shepard laughed, slapping Kaidan on the back.

Kaidan smiled. He took a deep breath, letting his shoulders drop.

"Thanks, Shepard; For everything."

"Don't thank me yet. We still got a lot of people that want us dead out there, and I intend to fly straight towards 'em," Shepard stated.

"Yes sir," Kaidan answered, giving him a warm salute.

Shepard left the Med Bay, leaving Kaidan to contemplate his wounds.

* * *

**To Airam, the message to you is hidden in the first letters of the first word of every paragraph.**


	22. Chapter 22: Fathers and Freelancing

**Bill Here! Chapter 22 at long last! Summer has been in full effect, leaving me drained of both life and inspiration. I've been working and studying and sweating like a dog, but it's all going to pay off as the new school year goes underway! This chapter took a while to write, for some reason I couldn't quite get inspired. Perhaps my muse has been on vacation? Anyway, if you liked the chapter or have any comments, be sure to leave me a review, and as always, Enjoy!**

**Chapter 22**

The graveyard was as silent as the corpses that lied beneath it. The air was stale with a light fog, blurring the outlines of distant objects.

Wrex walked through the clearing, each step made louder by contrast. The graveyard was completely desolate, save for one figure, standing alone in the center. Wrex made his way closer, two of his Krogan allies forming an entourage behind him.

"Hello, Wrex," rumbled the figure as Wrex approached.

Wrex grimaced at the voice, keeping silent.

"No greeting? Not even a common courtesy for your dear old dad?"

"I agreed to meet you here, unarmed, and that is the limit of my courtesy," Wrex answered.

"A crush on hallowed ground, that's the most you trust your father?" the figure asked.

"You are you no longer my father, Jarrod," Wrex growled.

"So that's how it, huh? And here I was thinking about letting you join while we finish off the rest of Turians," Jarrod said.

"Why do you need my help, you've done a good job of tiring them out while they slaughter your forces," Wrex answered.

"Meaningless causualties of war, Wrex. A Warlord does not fret over the fate of a few pawns. You should join me at the command of the clans."

"Heh. I'd rather join my head with thresher maw," Wrex smirked.

"You doubt our power? Our resolve? You doubt the destiny of the Krogan?"

"I doubt that going to war so blindly will result in anything besides the fall of entire Krogan race," Wrex answered.

"I knew you were weak, Wrex, but now you are just pathetic. The Krogan must do what the Krogan have always done. We fight."

"The Krogan are in this war because we keep doing what we do! Hell, look at this wasteland of home world we destroyed the instant we learned how!" Wrex shouted, his arms making a wide gesture.

"You disrespect your father, preach blatant cowardice, and now you're insulting the home world?! Did you not inherit a single quality worthy of a Krogan from me?!" Jarrod shouted, pointing his finger crookedly at Wrex.

"Not a single one, you decrepit old fool," Wrex sneered, his teeth showing in defiance.

The two Krogan glared at each other, their bodies subconsciously preparing for combat.

"So you wish to oppose me," Jarrod muttered.

"You're damn right," Wrex said confidently.

"Then the only cure for you is death."

Jarrod waved his arm over his head.

From out of the shadows, Krogan warriors burst out of the tombs of the graveyards.

One landed next to a surprised Wrex. He swung with a blade, narrowly missing as Wrex took a quick step back. The warrior lunged, launching his body at Wrex, trying to impale him in the gut. Wrex stepped to side, slamming his fist into the warrior's chin. The impact of the blow threw the knife out of the warrior's hand, which fell down, sinking into the soft soil. Wrex grabbed the warrior's chin with his left hand, reaching up to grab the top of the warrior's head plate with his right. He pulled with his right, pushing with his left, turning the Krogan's head around roughly. The Krogan's neck gave way, the sound of tough flesh tearing open as his head turned to face his hump.

Wrex released go of the warrior's body, letting it fall limply to the ground.

He met the next oncoming attacker, bending his legs and ramming his shoulder into the attacker's chest as he charged, then lifted his body, throwing the attacker up and over his shoulder. He took a step, and then another, breaking into a charge towards Jarrod.

Jarrod stepped forward as well, intending to meet Wrex face on. The two enormous Krogan met with a crash worthy of thunder, their head plates clashing together with a spark, their bodies propelled by their beastly muscles, their hulking masses slamming into one another like tectonic plates. The two giants fought, pushing each other as hard as they could, giving it their all. The ground yielded below their mighty feet as they grinded against one another in fury.

Jarrod turned to his left, wedging Wrex off to the side.

Wrex gritted his teeth. He bent, crouching slightly, then sprung forward and upward at Jarrod, catching him in a tackle. The two titans crashed into the stone tombstones, cracking the ancient grave markers beneath their massive bodies.

The two rolled, first Jarrod rolling Wrex off and mounting him, then Wrex reversing the position once more.

Jarrod struggled under the weight of Wrex, his arms flailing to keep the Wrex's strong grip from tightening around his neck. A glint shined over Jarrod's eye, catching his vision, to his horror, as he saw the knife in Wrex's hand draw ever closer. He panicked, pulling Wrex toward him by the shoulders, lifting and kicking Wrex off with his sturdy legs, sending him to fall on his back in the open space above Jarrod's head.

The two Krogan jumped to their feet, rolling to their right, pushing off with their arms while stepping up to their feet using a bent knee. They faced each other once more.

This time Jarrod struck first, throwing a left hook, then a jab with the same hand. Wrex took hook the with his guard, but loosened it at the jab, opening it just enough to let in the upper cut that he was blind to, even after it sent him sprawling back into another stone grave marker.

"Ha! You're going to have to better than that, whelp!" Jarrod mocked.

Wrex fell back, breaking through the ancient stone that he crashed on. He rolled forward, struggling back up to his feet, wiping the trail of orange Krogan blood off the side of his mouth with a bitter grimace. He glared at Jarrod with his evil red eyes full of malice.

"You're gonna need more than a mean look to kill me, boy," Jarrod chuckled.

Wrex charged, his steps pounding the ground they stepped in. He swung his right arm at Jarrod with all his might.

Jarrod caught the blow with his arm, stopping it. Wrex let go his fist, latching onto Jarrod's armored shoulder with his mighty grip. He yanked Jarrod's body towards him, leaning forward and meeting Jarrod's body with the brunt of his head plate. Jarrod sprawled backward, dazed by the mighty blow, as he reached backward to steady his stance.

"How's that?" Wrex smirked.

Jarrod scowled, his eyes went wide and wild, a panic in his anger. Moving forward, he and Wrex met in a tackle once more, each digging their feet into the ground, pushing as hard as their bodies would allow them. Jarrod's body began to weaken as Wrex slowly overpowered him, to Jarrod's dismay. He turned, wedging Wrex off to his right, as Jarrod brought his right claw up, slicing it down across Wrex's face.

Wrex stumbled past Jarrod, clutching the right side of his face. His neon orange blood seeped through his three fingers as the pain flowed through Wrex. The scars from Jarrod's claws were long, covering almost the entire right portion of Wrex's face.

"No sire of mine is allowed to be so weak!" shouted Jarrod. He lunged at Wrex once more, intending to bash him viciously in a tackle.

Wrex saw it coming through his left eye, unmarked by scarring. He guarded, knocking the blow away with powerful hand, his strength restored. Wrex grabbed Jarrod by the crest, yanking his head inward as he threw a knee into Jarrod's gut. Even through the armor, Jarrod was winded, making him stumble back clumsily. His foot went back, stepping on pieces of a broken tombstone, loose and unsuitable for support. Jarrod slipped, his body was thrown back as his legs flew forward, slamming his body into the ground. He struggled to get back to his feet, only to find that his leg was bent backward at the knee joint. He clutched it in vain.

As Wrex's warriors fought Jarrod's in the background, Wrex picked up the knife from the ground. He studied the blade carefully, the gleaming silver blade shined perfectly.

"You say I'm a coward, and that I don't respect the old ways. You say that I'm a dishonor to the Krogan race," Wrex mused. He admired the blade as he stepped forward toward Jarrod.

"I wonder, what will that make the ways of the Krogan after I drive this blade into your chest?" Wrex asked, his eyes gliding from the knife to Jarrod.

"It will make you a traitor and a coward. The old ways are our only method for survival," Jarrod growled.

"Not if you lie dead by my hand," Wrex chuckled. He took one last step forward, then lunged, his hand nothing but a blur as it swung down and impaled Jarrod in the chest, piercing through the armor and shields, splurting out orange blood as it oozed out.

"You, you will never be, ugh, a **true** Krogan," Jarrod spurted, blood dripping out of his mouth as he spoke.

"The only true Krogan is one that can survive. Now shut up and die," Wrex muttered.

* * *

Wrex leaned against a metal bulkhead, speaking to an anonymous contact on his omni tool.

"Nothing much has changed. We're still deep in the middle of nowhere, looking for contacts, clues, taking odd jobs in hopes of catching a whiff of this guy," Wrex said.

"…"

"Hmm," Wrex rumbled thoughtfully at the contact's response.

"…"

"So it seems. Have you got the location?" Wrex asked.

"…"

"Time to go hunting," Wrex answered.

* * *

Shepard stood in the elevator as it descended down the engineering level. The doors opened, letting Shepard continue his rounds and meet with the rest of the crew. As he approached, he noticed Wrex at the armory table, busily working on something.

"Wrex," Shepard said.

"Shepard," Wrex answered without looking up. Shepard could see what Wrex was working on now that he was closer. He watched Wrex's three fingered hands as they put together a shotgun, deftly handling each piece in a smooth, precise fashion.

"Going somewhere?" Shepard asked.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Hope this doesn't impede on our agreement," Wrex said.

Shepard shrugged his shoulders. "If we had anything to do, it would, but as it stands, I haven't even had a reason to put on my armor in weeks."

It was true. Shepard's investigation had come to a snail's pace, as the Normandy and its crew began taking any odd job that might result in a connection to Saren. One job was as good as another.

Wrex nodded. "Good."

"So where are you going, if you don't mind me asking?" Shepard asked, leaning against the bulkhead beside the work station.

Wrex stopped piecing together his shotgun. He looked up at Shepard.

"Have you ever had something taken from you?" Wrex asked bluntly.

"What kind of 'something' are we talking about here?" Shepard asked.

Wrex looked back down at his gun, fitting each component together, fastening them to the stock as tightly as possible, and making a smooth, ergonomic form.

"There's a pirate who goes by the name of Tonn Actus who has something of mine. For whatever reason, he decided to collect relics from the Krogan Rebellions, for shits and giggles I suppose. Somewhere along the line, he robbed a Krogan crypt, finding some specific objects Krogan heritage. I want them back."

Shepard nodded. "So, where can we find this guy?"

Wrex looked back at Shepard strangely.

"What do you mean 'we'? This doesn't concern you, and it doesn't involve Saren," Wrex stated.

"Does this mean you don't want me to tag along?" Shepard asked.

"I'd rather kill Actus myself and be done with it. Let's just say this is personal," Wrex answered.

"Well, I guess you'll have to find someone else to get a ride from, considering all the maintenance that I just remembered the shuttle needs," Shepard said slyly.

Wrex squinted, his face narrowing at Shepard's response.

"Is this, are you blackmailing me?" Wrex asked.

Shepard looked away coyly.

Wrex's hand came up to rest on his crest as he resisted slapping himself in face. He pulled his hand down, dryly rubbing his face before speaking to Shepard once more.

"Fine, you can come," Wrex answered.

"Yesss!" Shepard exclaimed, shooting an exhaulted fist into the air.

* * *

Shepard and Wrex sat across from each other in the shuttle.

"I agreed to let you come, Shepard," Wrex said, a hint of frustration noticeable in his voice.

"Yes, you did," Shepard answered.

"In return for letting me use your shuttle," Wrex continued.

"Yes you did," Shepard answered.

"I did not agree to bring him along," Wrex said grimly, pointing at the front of the cockpit where Garrus sat piloting the shuttle.

"Yes you did," Shepard answered bluntly.

"Shepard, I let you and only you come because this hit is personal. I don't need anyone else involved in my business. Hell, I didn't even want you involved!" Wrex complained, gesturing towards Shepard.

"Would you calm down? I'm not letting you go alone, if not for your safety then ensure you stay alive long enough to continue our agreement," Shepard explained.

"But why the Turian? Why not that biotic human? Or the woman? Why the most stuck up, annoying pyjak on your ship?!" Wrex asked.

"Because he's the best shot I have on my crew, save for yours truly," Shepard answered with a smirk.

"That's debatable," Garrus chimed in.

"Shut up and fly the ship, bird brain," Shepard chuckled.

"Aye aye, commander," Garrus muttered with a smile.

"So what's got your panties in a bunch here Wrex? What'd this guy do anyway?" Shepard asked, leaning back and wrapping his arms around the back of the bench.

Wrex sighed before continuing the conversation.

"This guy's a pirate, amateur collector, who's got a hard on for anything from the Rebellions. He found something that belongs to me, something that's been in my family for generations," Wrex explained.

Shepard leaned forward, interested.

"It's my family's armor. My father was buried with it in his crypt. Turns out Krogan crypts are easier to find then I thought."

"What'd he do with your father's remains?" Shepard asked.

"Don't know. Don't really care either, that rotten bastard's head could be stuffed and hung up on some Turian's mantelpiece for all I care. Makes no difference to me," Wrex said nonchalantly.

"Why not? He's your father, right? Why would you not care about his remains but go to such lengths for a set of armor that you left with in a crypt?" Shepard asked.

"That armor represents five generations of Krogan history. My father was just an old, worthless warlord who couldn't accept that times had changed. I'm glad he's dead."

"Oh, come on! He couldn't have been that bad!" Shepard suggested.

"He tried to lead several clans of Krogan warriors in a losing battle, when our numbers were only a fraction of our original population. He ignored all voices of reason; any plan that included holding off the war banner to recover our numbers was enough to drive him mad."

"But, but at least he died fighting for the cause of the Krogan people, right?" Shepard asked optimistically.

"I agreed to meet him unarmed to discuss an agreement on hallowed ground. When it was clear I wouldn't budge, he tried to have me killed. I drove a knife into his chest deep enough to pierce both of his decrpid hearts."

"But, at least you have his memory to hold on to," suggested Shepard.

"My last words to him were 'shut up and die'. I don't think the memory of his weakness is anything I want to hold onto."

Shepard bit his bottom lip nervously.

Wrex leaned back, letting out a low, deep laugh.

"Shepard, one thing you need to learn about Krogan is that they've been raised from day one to replace their fathers. The fact that I, out of all of Jarrod's descendants, was the one to slay him proves how strong I am. I think of his death and smile, that is my relationship with my father," Wrex said plainly, and in accordance with his statement, he said it with a wide grin.

"So we're busting into a gang of pirates to get back a set of armor that belonged to man you hated?" Shepard asked.

"That's right. Should be pretty fun, too," answered Wrex.

"Actually, that does sound like fun."

* * *

Shepard, Wrex, and Garrus stood outside the entrance of a cargo bay, which seemed to be the alledged lair of Tonn Actus.

"There are two at the entrance, maybe another three working in the back, all armed to the teeth. How do you want to do this, Shepard?" Garrus asked, his hands holding the binoculars to his eyes.

"Don't ask me. This is Wrex's fight, not mine. He takes point," Shepard said plainly.

Wrex nodded, satisfied.

"If we're gonna do this, we do it the Krogan way," Wrex stated.

"So, we charge straight at them, yelling at the top at our lungs and waving our arms as they pick us off at a distance, one by one?" asked Garrus.

"See? This is why I didn't want to bring him," Wrex complained.

"Oh, like you're always so polite. Yesterday, when I got hit by a stray round, you told me to rub some dirt on it and stop being a wuss," Garrus mentioned.

"It was only a fleshwound," Wrex commented.

"I almost had by mandible taken clean off!" Garrus replied, whispering harshly.

"I don't see the big deal, you have two of 'em, you don't really need both, do you?" Wrex muttered.

"Guys, focus!" Shepard reminded.

"Right, here's what's going on; me and Shepard will sneak up on those two out front, sneaky like, pyjak here will cover us. If one of them sees us before we can nab them, take 'em out, got that? From there, we can surprise those three working in the back."

Garrus nodded approvingly.

"All right, let's do it the Krogan way."

* * *

"Come on, ya pyjaks! Show me what you got!" Wrex shouted as he mowed down enemies. Each pirate exploded in a mess of shattering bionic shields and blue Turian blood as Wrex hit them his shotgun, laughing as he did so.

"Has he always been this crazy, or do I just not pay attention?" Garrus asked loudly over the sound of gunfire and screams of agony.

"Both. He's always been on the loose end, that's what makes him a good merc. Meanwhile, you need to pay attention to your peripherals!" Shepard shouted back, hitting another pirate square in the chest as he popped out from cover.

The two soldiers followed the raging Krogan, sure to watch his back and theirs as he went on his rampage. It was simple so far, Wrex had provided enough of a distraction to allow Shepard and Garrus to move around freely and pick their targets, while the two made sure to takeout any pirates that were out of Wrex's reach.

Shepard watched as Wrex worked, his large body quick and dangerous, jumping from enemy to enemy while avoiding most of the gunfire by running a serpentine pattern. It was funny, how Wrex would make his way to a pirate, close enough to disarm him, only for most of the gunfire meant for Wrex to hit the pirate in back. By the time Wrex had his big meaty claws on the man in question, his shields were down and he already had a couple of rounds buried in his spine.

Shepard smirked at the observation, putting his eye up against the scope of his rifle and lining up a shot. He smoothly put the crosshairs over the head of pirate who was panicking to react to Wrex's onslaught, but before Shepard could pull the trigger, the man fell by another rifle.

"Dammit Garrus, that one was mine!" Shepard shouted.

"Oh, was it? I had no idea; you take so long to line up your targets, I thought you were taking a break for a while. I know how fragile you human are," Garrus commented.

"You want to start this again? What's a matter, didn't the ass whoopin I give you last time leave you sore enough?" Shepard asked, lining up another shot and pulling the trigger. A pirate from an upper balcony took the hit in the shoulder, blowing his helmet and armor apart. The corpse went limp and fell over the side, landing on the bay floors.

"I guess not, considering the fact that I am ahead of you in total number of head shots," Garrus said slyly. His rifle kicked into his shoulder as he fired, hitting another pirate in the helmet, shattering the visor completely as it ripped through his cranium.

"You're on, Vakarian."

* * *

A worried looking Turian paced back and forth in front of a locked door, his brow plates furrowing furiously. Eventually the door unlocked, the door opening and an armored Turian walking out.

"How far have they gotten?" the armored one asked harshly, without stopping his fierce gait or making eye contact.

"They breached the facility through the cargo bay and made their way to the outer sanctum," the nervous Turian answered.

"How many are there?" the armored one asked.

"Three."

The armored Turian turned in shock and anger, his eyes widening. He grabbed the other Turian by his collar, the strength of his grip tipping the other of balance, his stance on the edge of his heels.

"Three? **Three!? **I run an entire band of pirates and marauders, nearly fifty able bodied killers in this facility, a dozen warships in dock, guns big enough to rob army grade transports, and **three **men breach our defenses?!" the armored Turian asked angrily.

"T-Tonn, please, I-I-I'm sorry," the nervous Turian managed to say through the deathly chokehold that clamped down on his throat.

"I don't want your apologies, I want those three dead!" Tonn Actus shouted, casting the other Turian back, throwing him into the metal wall.

The other Turian slide down, stumbling to get to his feet.

"Tonn, the three, they aren't usual lawmen. They're heavily armed, wielding irregular army surplus, and they aren't attepting to make arrests. Also…"

The Turian leaned in closer to whisper the last detail.

"…There's a Krogan leading them."

Tonn Actus brightened up at the information.

"A Krogan?"

"Yes sir, a warlord by the looks of his armor," the Turian answered.

"Show me."

The Turian brought up a hologram, linked it to the three soldiers as they fought their way through pirates. Tonn Actus looked at Wrex in the video, a fond smile shaping on his face.

"So he finally tracked me down, eh?" he mused.

* * *

"Looks like we busted through their main forces. It's amazing that we've gotten this far without getting pinned down; the element of surprise only lasts so long," Shepard commented.

"They're pirates, they could be used to ambuses, but unorganized when defending for once," Garrus pointed out.

"These aren't just any pirates. They're trained, at least their leader is. No one goes after crypts on Tuchunka that doesn't have a bone to pick with the Krogan race. The leader is most likely a vet from the Rebellions," Wrex rumbled.

"So he's got military training?" Garrus asked.

Wrex grunted in confirmation.

"So then we're walking into a trap?" Garrus asked.

"When are we not?" Shepard shrugged with a chuckle.

The trio made their way down a narrow hallway, Wrex taking point, Shepard and Garrus flanking him at either side. They moved quickly, but cautiously, checking each hallway opening for enemies, keeping their senses keen to any sounds that would suggest an ambush.

Suddenly, a wall fell from the ceiling, hitting the floor with a violent thud. Shepard turned around hurriedly, first to the wall, then to his back, expecting enemies to begin pouring into the hallway. His gun pointed at nothing but empty space, as did Garrus'.

"What the hell happened!?" Shepard shouted.

"I don't know, but look," Garrus said. He indicated to the wall, through the glass pane, to Wrex, who was separated from them.

"Oh shit!" Shepard exclaimed.

Shepard stared at Wrex, realizing that they were now separated from each other.

"This is not good," Shepard mused.

"I'll see if I can get him on the Comm Link," Garrus said, tapping away at his Omni Tool.

A voice came on, scratchy, but definitely Wrex.

"Well ain't this a surprise," he said, knocking a heavy hand on the sturdy metal wall.

"Wrex, stay there, ok? We'll find a way to get through this door," Shepard exclaimed.

There was a pause. Then Wrex spoke.

"It doesn't matter, Shepard. Wait here; I'll finish the job on my own."

And with that, to Shepard's horror, Wrex turned away from the door, hustling down the length of the hallway and turning at the its bend.

Shepard slammed a fist on glass in vain.

"Garrus, can you get this door open?" Shepard asked with a grimace.

Garrus kneeled down, removing a nearby grate and begun fiddling with the wires.

"I'll see, but there's no telling how long it will take. Maybe you should try to find another way around in the meantime?" Garrus suggested.

"I don't like the idea of everyone going their separate ways. We stay together, we stay alive, that's the way I see it," Shepard said, folding his arms.

"Well then, I better get to work."

* * *

Wrex hustled down the hallway, shotgun at hand. His large arms moved up and down as his legs went back and forth, propelling him forward as he moved.

_That wall was unexpected, but useful. I don't need anyone else to get involved with my business, _Wrex thought as he ran.

Eventually, he came to the end of the hallway, to a wide, open room, most likely used for docking and repairs. Wrex stopped at the entrance of the room, cautiously looking around the room.

"What are you looking for?" a voice asked.

"So you're the one with a woody from dead Krogan bodies, eh?" Wrex asked.

Tonn Actus stepped forward from the shadows, his black armor a flat matte texture, the trim lined red, the same color red as Wrex's. He carried his helmet at his side, his firearm strapped to the side of his thigh.

"Do you remember me?" Tonn asked.

Wrex snorted.

"Can't say I remember the face of every quad sucking Turian pyjak I've ever met," Wrex answered. He stepped forward, brandishing his weapon.

Tonn nodded slightly.

The sound of a metal cord snapping took Wrex's attention away from Tonn Actus. It took him only a split second to realize that it came from above him, but by that time, it was too late.

A piece of hull, easily two tons of metal, landed on Wrex's back. It pinned him against the floor, folding his legs and one of his arms under it, leaving him helpless.

Wrex grunted, the air knocked of his lungs, imoblizing him for a second. When his vision refocused, he saw a black figure standing over him.

"How does that feel?" Tonn asked smugly.

Wrex groaned, the weight slowly beginning to kill him, his redundant systems straining under the crushing force.

"Now do you remember me, you lawless barbarian?" Tonn sneered.

"I, ugh, don't remember the faces of weaklings," Wrex smirked, blood spluttering out as he spoke.

Tonn waved a hand over his head, signaling to his men.

A lifting wench rotated out, lowering its crane down on top of the hull, adding more weight to further crush Wrex. His bones made a slight crunching sound, audible for a distance of up to ten meters.

"What about now?" Tonn asked, his tone poisonous.

"You're going to have to better than that, punk. I'm not afraid of death, what else are you going to threaten me with?" Wrex laughed, his face bloody and haggard.

Tonn smiled, so villainously so that even Wrex was taken aback. He turned to one of his men in the distance.

"Bring it out."

Wrex struggled to keep his vision from blurring, his vision now focusing on the covered object that was now being wheeled out with a dolly. It was placed next to where Tonn stood.

"And, without further ado…" Tonn said as he ripped the cloth off of the object.

Wrex's eyes bulged at the sight; both his hearts skipped a beat. Out of his mouth came a noise that was not speech, but what could be classified as a wail. A wail of pain, but not pain of Wrex himself, but a pain for someone he loved, though now it was **something** he loved.

Wrex no longer knew he was being crushed, he no longer felt the blood dripping from the sides of his mouth, he no longer felt his bones being bent awkwardly, nor did he feel his organs beginning to fail. Before him was the body of a Krogan, a young female, which had a striking resemblance to Wrex himself. The body was clearly dead, but contained in a tank of some, possibly to keep the flesh from rotting.

"N-no…" was the first word that Wrex said that had any meaning.

He reached out with the only arm that wasn't pinned down by the weight, the distance between the girl and him too far for him to reach.

"No, no, no," Wrex moaned, his brutish demeanor shed completely.

"What about now? Does this refresh your memory?" Tonn asked.

Wrex didn't answer; instead he kept staring at the girl Krogan in shock.

"My father fought in the Krogan Rebellions. For years, he fought for the good of the galaxy, slaying your kind to bring peace to Asari worlds your species had invaded. He was killed, fighting off a clan Urdnot, led by its new leader, Wrex, after he killed Warlord Jarrod in single combat. Ever since I was able to hold a gun, I've been hunting your kind down. I don't care that you have the Genopahge; in my eyes, it doesn't work fast enough. I will kill all of your kind, and then burn anything that remains off your species and scatter the ashes."

Wrex finally turned from the female, looking at Tonn with hateful, malice filled eyes.

"You're father died like a bitch," Wrex uttered, without a shred of remorse.

Tonn sneered in a storm of loathing directed at Wrex. He drew his pistol and pointed it at the Krogan.

Gunfire erupted on the scaffolding, sounds of shotguns blasting and assault rifles thundering away echoed through the wide, solid walled room. Pirates flew off of the scaffold, landing messily on the floor, wounds oozing blood out to accompany their landings with a splat.

An invisible figure landed on the floor near Tonn and Wrex, only noticeable by the drips off blood on its feet.

Tonn pointed his weapon, but the figure was too fast, in an instant it was within arms length of Tonn, and with a smooth movement, it sliced off his arm at the elbow. Tonn's arm landed a few meters behind him, still clutching his gun in its dead fingers.

Tonn kneeled, clutching the stump of his arm in agony. He quickly covered the wound, attempting to prevent a large loss of blood.

The figure became visible, revealing Shepard holding a pistol and bloody combat knife.

"Need a little help?" Shepard asked slyly.

Sounds of a rifle firing off in the distance, which Wrex assumed was Garrus, ceased the fighting between the trio and the pirates.

"I would be lying if I said no," Wrex said with a smirk.

Shepard nodded with an equal smile. He turned and looked up at the scaffolding.

"Garrus! Find a way to get this thing off of Wrex!" Shepard shouted up to Garrus.

"On it!" Garrus answered.

"W-wait! Don't, don't do that!" Tonn cried out weakly.

Shepard turned to Tonn's pathetic figure.

"And why not?" Shepard asked.

"That, that thing, is a monster. He deserves to be destroyed," Tonn explained.

"Every man that can fire a gun is a monster. As for him, well, let's just say, he's my monster," Shepard stated. With that, he raised his sidearm, aimed directly between the eyes of Tonn Actus, and fired twice.

The matte texture of Tonn's armor was made shiny and blue.

The winch grinded and moaned, lifting the piece of hull off of Wrex. Shepard knelt by the Krogan, administrating a capsule of Medigel.

"Ugh, dammit Shepard," Wrex said dimly.

"What is it Wrex?" Shepard asked.

"I wanted to kill that pirate," Wrex said.

Shepard smiled, unable to help it. He laughed lightly, watching the capsule go empty as the medigel flowed into Wrex's broken body.

Garrus approached finally.

"How's he doing?" Garrus asked.

"He's a Krogan, he'll live," Shepard answered, casting the empty capsule away.

"We should head back then, mission complete I guess," Garrus suggested.

"Wait the, the armor…" Wrex insisted, his wounds starting to heal.

"I'll get it," suggested Garrus, hustling in the direction of the Krogan armor on display.

"And, the girl…" Wrex pointed at the tank containing the female Krogan.

"Yeah, I'll get it for you," said Shepard.

"…Destroy it," said Wrex.

Shepard turned to look at Wrex in surprise.

"Are, are you sure, Wrex?" Shepard asked.

Wrex looked at the ground thoughtfully, and then finally met Shepard eyes firmly once more.

"I don't want her body to be some alien on display," Wrex stated.

Shepard thought for a while, then nodded. He turned to the tank, activating the controls. Tapping through the options, he found 'desintigrate'. He pushed it, stepping back from the tank.

The tank began to hum, the liquid inside it swirling around in a circle. Shepard watched as the body started to flake apart, disappearing into dust, starting from her feet. The machine worked like a decontamination chamber, only more thorough, breaking down the components at a chemical level and dissolving them into the liquid around it. The body was gone in a short amount of time, leaving nothing but an empty tank.

* * *

"You got some nerve withholding information from me like that," Wrex talked into his omni tool.

"…" A dark figure spoke back to Wrex.

"Don't give me that excuse. You and I both know how through you are when it comes to micromanagement, so don't think for a second that you can convince me otherwise. You knew she was there," Wrex continued to shout.

"…"

"This is how you do business, after all these years? Without me, your reputation would've been a myth, nothing but criminal history, you'd be the monster in a story they tell children at night to scare them into staying school. Hell, half of your contacts have been rapped on the back of the head by yours truly, and you turn around and give me this shit?" Wrex asked angrily.

"…"

"Well I guess you can find another Warlord to do your dirty work, since you're so well connected."

And with that, Wrex tapped his Omni Tool off, ceasing contact with the shadowy figure.

"That sounded heated," said Shepard as he approached slowly.

"Not as heated as it could've been. Especially if that bastard had the quad to meet me in person," Wrex muttered.

"I hope there's no backlash from such a sharp break off," Shepard suggested.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I know too much about the shadow broker's operations for him to try to take me out. If he fails, he knows I'll head to one of his safe houses and muck up the joint. It's easier for him to just wait and see; the son of a bitch is probably got a fetish for it."

Wrex snorted angrily, sticking only his middle finger up in air, pointing it at a nearby survalence camera in the cargo bay. The camerea slowly turned away to look at another area.

"What are you going to do now?" Shepard asked curiously.

Wrex inhaled slowly.

"I guess I'll earn straight for a while. You've still got missions you need muscle on, so I'll see my contract through," Wrex answered.

"That's good to hear," Shepard admitted.

"It shouldn't be too hard to make an honest living. Besides, if I got a problem with my boss, he's right next to me in armor," Wrex smirked, glancing at Shepard.

"And if I got a problem, I got you to throw at it," Shepard said back, meeting Wrex's smirk with one of his own.

The two glanced at one another, then back across the distance of the cargo bay. They both leaned against a bulkhead, sliding down to lay on the floor.

"So, 'Urdnot Wrex'?" Shepard mused.

"Yep," Wrex answered.

"And 'Warlord Jarrod'?"

"Uh-huh."

"That girl…" Shepard begun but opted to let the question trail off. Shepard thought Wrex wouldn't answer the question, but he was mistaken.

"Her name was Aura. She was only twenty years old the last time I saw her, a child by your standards. She aged well, I suppose, while I was gone. She might have had kids, even despite the Genophage, but it would hard to find out. Most of everyone who knew her is probably dead."

"So she was your?..." Shepard asked.

"Daughter," Wrex answered plainly.

Shepard nodded in understanding.

There was a moment of silence, whether in memory of Wrex's daughter or in light of the awkwardness of the conversation, Shepard couldn't tell.

"She gave me hope for the future. Whenever I saw her, I thought about how we could clean up Tuchunka, bring it back to its former glory, and restore its mighty forests and raging rivers. She made everything I was fighting for make sense. With her, my hope for the Krogan people dies."

The conversation went silent once more.

Shepard stood up from the floor, dusting himself off.

"Well, you can sit here and moan about the past, or you can follow me into battle, and make a difference. Your choice," Shepard stated.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

**To Airam, For being the perfect amount of weird**


End file.
